Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Reading vs Wareham vs West Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
West Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Reading | Wareham | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909Lowest |
25,612Highest |
23,302 |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$354,000±$21kLowest 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,236±$271Lowest 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and West Brookfield 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 | — | #50 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Wareham | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.