Compare towns
Southampton vs Wareham vs Dighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southampton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
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 | Southampton | Wareham | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,230Lowest |
23,302Highest |
8,193 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±3.5 9% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,125±$23k 18% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA |
| Dighton and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,300±$25k 20% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$501,900±$47kHighest 11% below MA |
| Dighton and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
| Wareham and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,470 9% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,452Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±18.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 23% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Dighton 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 | #205 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southampton | Wareham | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.