Compare towns
Middleborough vs Wareham vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Rockland has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Middleborough | Wareham | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,505Highest |
23,302 |
17,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1 9% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
40.7±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rockland and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$112,405±$12kHighest 8% above MA |
| Rockland and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$472,900±$21kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rockland and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72Highest 3% below MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,610±$255 9% below MA |
| Middleborough and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023 about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,487Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Middleborough and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Rockland and Middleborough 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 | #170 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #175 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Wareham | Rockland |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | Wareham Senior High | Rockland Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
8.6Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.