Compare towns
Marion vs Suffield vs Ashby 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 most expensive homes ($654k median).
Suffield has the youngest population (median age 44.5).
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Wareham has the most renters (16.5% rent).
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 | Suffield | Ashby | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,310 |
15,702 |
3,211Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±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. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Marion and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766 85% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 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 3% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marion and Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #200 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Suffield School District | North Middlesex | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.