Compare towns
Gardner 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
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Wareham has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
West Wareham has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Gardner | Wareham | West Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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 | 18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and West Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest 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 | $67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,765Highest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest 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 | 13.7% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham and Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gardner | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
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.