Compare towns
Boxford vs Wareham vs Southborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxford has the most expensive homes ($907k median).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Southborough has the most people working from home (31%).
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 | Boxford | Wareham | Southborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,208Lowest |
23,302Highest |
10,493 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±3.6 23% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.6±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
| Wareham and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Southborough and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.9% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$196,808±$16k 89% above MA |
| Boxford and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$821,100±$51k 46% above MA |
| Boxford and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,496±$309Highest 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
32%±15Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boxford and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Southborough and Boxford 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 | #34 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #8 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Boxford · Masconomet | Wareham | Southborough |
| High school in town | Masconomet Regional High School | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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| 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.