Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
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 | Salisbury | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903 |
5,656Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
51±6.9 28% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Salisbury 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% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and Wareham 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% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Wareham 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% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Salisbury 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 |
$92,469±$7k 11% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Salisbury 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 |
$465,900±$31kHighest 17% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Salisbury and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Salisbury 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 |
$4,561Highest 24% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Wareham 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% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | — | Wareham |
| High school 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.