Compare towns
Rochester vs Gardner 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 the most expensive homes ($599k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Gardner | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
21,148 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743 19% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530Highest 9% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner 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 | #104 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Gardner | Wareham |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
13.5Highest |
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.