Compare towns
Meredith vs Rochester 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
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Rochester has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
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 | Meredith | Rochester | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
5,837Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
46.5±6Lowest 20% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$120,273±$12kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 61% above U.S. |
$6,530Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wareham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 120 in NH | #104 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Wareham |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
9.1 |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.