Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
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 | Reading | Wareham | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
25,612Highest |
23,302 |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Northbridge 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% |
20.7%±2.3 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Northbridge 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 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 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #126 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | — | Wareham | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | — | Wareham Senior High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 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.