Compare towns
Shelburne vs Wareham vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shelburne has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Shelburne | Wareham | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,567Lowest |
23,302Highest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57±7.3Highest 43% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
51.8±3.6Lowest 30% above MA |
| Shelburne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.5%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Deerfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,000±$4kLowest 20% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
| Deerfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $405,400±$32kLowest 28% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
| Wareham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$105Lowest 39% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
| Wareham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,595 23% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.7%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Shelburne and Deerfield 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Wareham | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.