Compare towns
Marion vs Meredith vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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.
| Measure | Marion | Meredith | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310Lowest |
6,758 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4 38% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516 17% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766Highest 85% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Marion 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.