Compare towns
Lancaster vs Wareham vs West Wareham vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Lancaster | Wareham | West Wareham | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| West Wareham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3% MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and West Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
— | $1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,765 20% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Wareham | — | Sutton |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | — | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.