Compare towns
Rochester vs Lancaster 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%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
8,606 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Rochester 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Lancaster 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±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rochester and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,530 9% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Nashoba | Wareham |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1Highest |
— | 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.