Compare towns
New Salem vs Ware vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | New Salem | Ware | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,054Lowest |
10,048 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| New Salem and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.5%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±6.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,688±$19k 23% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA |
| Wareham and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,000±$40k 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$88 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,509Highest 25% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| New Salem and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 20% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| New Salem and Wareham 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Wareham |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.