Compare towns
Deerfield vs Marion vs Wareham vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Marion has the most expensive homes ($654k median).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Deerfield | Marion | Wareham | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
5,310 |
23,302Highest |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
49.7±5.8Lowest 24% above MA |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
| Marion and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$1,176±$516 33% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
| Wareham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest about the MA average |
$5,766 4% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 min 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Marion | Wareham | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
10.9 |
| 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.