Compare towns
Rochester vs Dover vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
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 | Rochester | Dover | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
5,930 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6 16% above MA |
44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Dover and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Wareham |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
9.8Highest |
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.