Compare towns

Dunstable 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

Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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.

MeasureDunstableFairhavenWareham
People
Population
3,408Lowest
15,903
23,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.6%
MA: +7.4%
+0.3%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+6.8%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2.4Lowest
4% 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
22.4%±4.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
16.9%±2.7
MA: 19.4%
13.1%±2.4Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Dunstable and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
15%±2.6Lowest
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+
62.4%Highest
MA: 47.3%
32.5%
MA: 47.3%
27.1%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.1%±2.5Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.3%±1Lowest
MA: 7.9%
5.6%±1.5
MA: 7.9%
Dunstable and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$208,512±$23kHighest
101% above MA
$95,965±$19k
8% below MA
$90,383±$11kLowest
13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$674,000±$30kHighest
20% above MA
$446,700±$19k
21% below MA
$424,500±$21kLowest
24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,325±$637
25% below MA
$1,118±$79Lowest
37% below MA
$1,504±$180Highest
15% below MA
Wareham and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,020Highest
51% above MA
$3,566Lowest
40% below MA
$4,341
28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
60%±77.1Highest
MA: 51.8%
51.1%±14Lowest
MA: 51.8%
51.4%±23.3
MA: 51.8%
Dunstable and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
0.5%Lowest
MA: 10%
8.3%Highest
MA: 10%
6.7%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.5%Highest
MA: 62.5%
74.4%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
83.5%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
23 yrs newer than MA
1952Lowest
12 yrs older than MA
1958
6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
18% above MA
29 min
about the MA average
28 minLowest
5% below MA
Work from home
20%±3.9Highest
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 #4 of 282 in MA #126 of 282 in MA #272 of 282 in MA
School district Groton-Dunstable Fairhaven Wareham
High school in town None in town Fairhaven High Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school —
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.