Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Sutton vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Sutton | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903 |
2,239Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4 25% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Sutton 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 19% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$19kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Fairhaven and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Kearsarge Regional School District | Wareham |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Kearsarge Regional High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.4 |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.