Compare towns
Harvard vs Wareham vs Devens vs Boxborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Devens has the oldest housing (typical home built 1950).
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Harvard | Wareham | Devens | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,927 |
23,302Highest |
1,723Lowest |
5,496 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
| Wareham and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$189,250±$63k 82% above MA |
$144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
| Harvard and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Devens 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 | #12 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Wareham | — | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | Wareham Senior High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.