Compare towns
Dedham vs Fairhaven vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Fairhaven has the oldest housing (typical home built 1952).
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 | Dedham | Fairhaven | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
15,903Lowest |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Fairhaven | Wareham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Fairhaven High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
11.4Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.