Compare towns
Harwich vs Mashpee vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Mashpee has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k 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 | Harwich | Mashpee | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,598Lowest |
15,384 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Mashpee and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,966±$13kHighest 7% below MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $658,600±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA |
$1,776±$330 about the MA average |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,189 30% below MA |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
$4,341Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Harwich and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 14% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.3%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Harwich and Mashpee 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 | #157 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Mashpee | Wareham |
| High school in town | Monomoy Regional High School | Mashpee Middle-High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
9.6 |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.