Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Mashpee vs Wareham
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 most kids (16.9% under 18).
Mashpee has the most expensive homes ($562k median).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k 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 | Fairhaven | Mashpee | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903 |
15,384Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Mashpee and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Mashpee 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 |
$562,200±$29kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Mashpee and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$3,762 37% below MA |
$4,341Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest 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 | 8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Mashpee and Wareham 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Mashpee | Wareham |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Mashpee Middle-High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.6 |
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.