Compare towns
Marion vs Reading vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marion has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310Lowest |
25,612Highest |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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 | 16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest 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+ | 46.7% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest 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 | $143,092±$30k 38% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Reading and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766 4% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | — | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
| 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.