Compare towns
Marion vs Saugus vs Wareham vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
Saugus has the most renters (28.5% rent).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k 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 | Saugus | Wareham | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,310 |
28,773Highest |
23,302 |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
44.5±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
50.5±3 26% 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% |
15.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashby 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% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest 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±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| Marion and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
| Marion and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,200±$484 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766 4% below MA |
$6,049Highest about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Ashby 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 | #194 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | — | Wareham | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.