What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sheffield	Wareham
People
Population	3,330Lowest	23,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±8Lowest 21% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
	Wareham and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.3%±4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Sheffield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.2%±5.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,120±$31kHighest 11% below MA	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
	Sheffield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$409,400±$32kLowest 27% below MA	$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA
	Wareham and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
	Sheffield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,520Highest 25% below MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%	6.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 29% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wareham and Sheffield 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	#250 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Southern Berkshire	Wareham
High school in town	Mt Everett Regional	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.8Lowest	8.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.