Compare towns
Chester vs Middlefield vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
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.
| Measure | Chester | Middlefield | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240 |
352Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2% MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7Lowest 15% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±8.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,390±$6kLowest 14% below MA |
$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
$332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522 25% below MA |
$4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Middlefield 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 | — | — | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gateway | — | 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.