What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has the most kids (22.1% under 18).

Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellingham	Wareham
People
Population	17,410Lowest	23,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kHighest 21% above MA	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kHighest 20% below MA	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
	Bellingham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
	Bellingham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Highest 16% below MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bellingham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%	6.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Bellingham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#232 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Bellingham	Wareham
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.