Compare towns
Berlin vs Buzzards Bay vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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.
| Measure | Berlin | Buzzards Bay | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,378 |
2,909Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±2.8Lowest 24% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Berlin and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.9 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Berlin and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 19% above MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±19.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Berlin and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 17% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and Buzzards Bay 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | — | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | — | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.