Compare towns
Rochester vs Putnam vs 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).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Wareham has the most people working from home (12.4%).
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 | Putnam | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
9,292 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±6 20% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and Putnam 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% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$12kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
| 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 109% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wareham and Rochester 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% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wareham and Putnam 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Putnam School District | Wareham |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Putnam High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1 |
9.5Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.