Compare towns
Somerset vs Townsend vs Wareham vs Fall River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerset has the most homeowners (86.9%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | Somerset | Townsend | Wareham | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,298 |
9,100Lowest |
23,302 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.2 18% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Wareham and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.3%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Townsend and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
| Townsend and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$93 28% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
| Wareham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,977 17% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 8% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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 | #132 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset | North Middlesex | Wareham | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Somerset Berkley Regional High School | North Middlesex Regional | Wareham Senior High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
13.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.