Compare towns
Halifax vs Rochester vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Halifax | Rochester | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748 |
5,837Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Rochester and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Highest about the MA average |
$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Halifax and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Halifax 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1Highest |
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.