Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Wareham vs Webster
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 highest household income ($96k).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Wareham | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
23,302Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| 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% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
| 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 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,341Highest 28% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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 | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Wareham | Webster |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Wareham Senior High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
8.6Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.