What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).

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.

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

Measure	Pittsfield	Wareham
People
Population	43,457Highest	23,302Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	17.6%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Pittsfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA	$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA	$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,148Lowest 31% below MA	$4,341Highest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Pittsfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.9%Highest MA: 10%	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 36% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wareham and Pittsfield 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	#251 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Pittsfield	Wareham
High school in town	Taconic High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Highest	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.