Compare towns
Rochester vs Newton 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 expensive homes ($599k median).
Newton has the highest household income ($138k).
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 | Newton | West Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Highest |
4,836 |
2,257Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6Lowest 20% above U.S. |
47.8±5.7 23% above U.S. |
57.6±13Highest 48% above U.S. |
| West Wareham and Newton 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% |
17.1%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,273±$12k 49% above U.S. |
$138,487±$29kHighest 72% above U.S. |
$58,560±$15kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Newton 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 80% above U.S. |
$459,500±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$230,800±$104kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$96Highest 19% above U.S. |
— |
| Newton and Rochester 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. |
$8,124Highest 160% above U.S. |
$4,765Lowest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±41.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
90.6%±37.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Wareham and Newton 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% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±13.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newton 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 | #70 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Sanborn Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.