Compare towns
Rochester vs Hampton vs Wareham vs Marion
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Hampton has the most renters (26.2% rent).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Hampton | Wareham | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,837 |
16,426 |
23,302Highest |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6Lowest 20% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
53.8±4 38% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Marion 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 49% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31k 80% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39k 65% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530 109% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$5,766 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marion and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Marion 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #272 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Wareham | Marion |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Winnacunnet High School | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
10.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.