What stands out worked out from the figures below

Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).

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	Haverhill	Wareham
People
Population	67,698Highest	23,302Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	21.3%±1.5Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.5%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,326±$4kLowest 15% below MA	$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA
	Wareham and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$453,900±$9kHighest 19% below MA	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,668±$49Highest 5% below MA	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
	Haverhill and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,772Highest 20% below MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.2%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Haverhill and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.3%Highest MA: 10%	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	12.5%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Haverhill 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	#243 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical	Wareham
High school in town	Haverhill High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.