Compare towns
Mashpee vs Suffield vs Wareham vs Barnstable Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Barnstable Town has the most renters (24.3% 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 | Mashpee | Suffield | Wareham | Barnstable Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,384Lowest |
15,702 |
23,302 |
49,568Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8Highest 44% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
49.1±1.9 26% above U.S. |
| Mashpee and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstable Town and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,299±$13k 18% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$91,982±$6k 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29k 69% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$602,500±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330 26% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,917±$127Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
$3,975 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.6%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnstable Town and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Mashpee 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #272 of 282 in MA | #189 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Suffield School District | Wareham | Barnstable |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Suffield High School | Wareham Senior High | Barnstable High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
10.9Highest |
8.6Lowest |
10.6 |
| 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.