What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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	Ludlow	Wareham
People
Population	20,904Lowest	23,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.8Lowest 11% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	16.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Ludlow and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27%Lowest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,838±$7kLowest 18% below MA	$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA
	Wareham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,300±$10kLowest 40% below MA	$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,223±$82Lowest 31% below MA	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,918Highest 18% below MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Highest MA: 10%	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%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	20 minLowest 31% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Ludlow 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	#154 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Ludlow	Wareham
High school in town	Ludlow Senior High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.