Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Stoneham 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1952).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Stoneham | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
23,355Highest |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% 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 | 16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Fairhaven 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% |
20.4%±2.2Lowest 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+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Stoneham 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 |
$113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Stoneham 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 |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest 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% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #126 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Stoneham | Wareham |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Stoneham High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.7 |
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.