What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harwich has the most expensive homes ($659k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Harwich	Wareham
People
Population	13,598Lowest	23,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA	52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wareham and Harwich 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%	26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,966±$13kHighest 7% below MA	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
	Harwich and Wareham 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	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
	Harwich and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,189Lowest 30% below MA	$4,341Highest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Lowest 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%	6.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 14% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	17.3%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Harwich 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	#157 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Wareham
High school in town	Monomoy Regional High School	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	6 photos →	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.