Compare towns
Rochester vs Hampton vs Wareham vs West Wareham
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 people working from home (21.7%).
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k 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 | Hampton | Wareham | West Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,837 |
16,426 |
23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
| 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% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6Lowest 20% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
57.6±13Highest 48% above U.S. |
| West Wareham and Hampton 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% |
14.8%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and West Wareham 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%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
35%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Wareham and Hampton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.4%Lowest 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%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and West 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±$12kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
$58,560±$15kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39k 65% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$230,800±$104kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above 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. |
$4,765 53% 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% |
90.6%±37.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Wareham 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% |
19.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% 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. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below 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% |
17.7%±13.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and West 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Winnacunnet High School | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
10.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.