Compare towns
Rochester vs Windsor Locks 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).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Windsor Locks | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,837Lowest |
12,579 |
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. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% 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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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±$12kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $599,100±$31kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Wareham 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% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%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. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Windsor Locks School District | Wareham |
| High school in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Windsor Locks High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.1Highest |
8.9 |
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.