Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Wareham vs West 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).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
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 | West Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903 |
23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
| West Wareham and Wareham 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% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and West 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% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and West 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 |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% 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 |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% 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 |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,765Highest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham and Wareham 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% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham 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 | 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.