Compare towns
Chilmark vs Fairhaven vs Wareham vs West Tisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chilmark has the most expensive homes ($1895k median).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
West Tisbury has the shortest commute (17 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 | Chilmark | Fairhaven | Wareham | West Tisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,578Lowest |
15,903 |
23,302Highest |
3,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±8.1 34% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
54.8±5.4Highest 37% above MA |
| West Tisbury and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.9%±6.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
30.2%±7.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and West Tisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Tisbury and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $168,750±$28k 62% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$182,750±$73kHighest 76% above MA |
| West Tisbury and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$1,302,100±$187k 132% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,350±$519 33% above MA |
| Chilmark and West Tisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 25% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$6,497Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
26%±43.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
92.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 8% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
17 minLowest 43% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±11 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.3%±20.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Tisbury and Chilmark 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 | — | #126 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #181 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Up-Island Regional | Fairhaven | Wareham | Up-Island Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
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.