Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Gardner vs Wareham vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairhaven has the oldest housing (typical home built 1952).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Fairhaven | Gardner | Wareham | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
21,148 |
23,302Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% 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 | 16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest 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+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
| Northbridge and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79 37% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,821Highest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Gardner | Wareham | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Gardner High | Wareham Senior High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
13.5Highest |
8.6Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.