What stands out worked out from the figures below

Natick has the most people working from home (25.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Natick	Wareham
People
Population	36,873Highest	23,302Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.3±1.4Lowest 8% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	21.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,914Highest 49% above MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%	6.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#48 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Natick	Wareham
High school in town	Natick High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.