Compare towns
Marion vs Suffield vs Wareham vs Merrimac
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).
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Merrimac has the most renters (18.7% 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 | Wareham | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,310Lowest |
15,702 |
23,302Highest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% 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%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Marion and Merrimac 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% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marion and Merrimac 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% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% 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% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Marion and Merrimac 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±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,352±$325 4% below 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. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$7,399Highest 137% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marion and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Suffield School District | Wareham | Pentucket |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| 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.