Compare towns
Lawrence vs Marion vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Marion has the most people working from home (20.1%).
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 | Lawrence | Marion | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
5,310Lowest |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Lawrence and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Marion 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Marion | Wareham |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.