Compare towns
Southwick vs Wareham vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southwick has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Southwick | Wareham | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,217 |
23,302Highest |
6,976Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±1.8 17% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.3±3.4Lowest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Southwick and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,462±$16k 16% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Shirley and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $397,500±$27kLowest 29% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$427,600±$36kHighest 24% below MA |
| Shirley and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,332±$72Lowest 24% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
| Wareham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,331Highest 11% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,156 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Shirley and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shirley and Southwick 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 | #211 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Wareham | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Southwick Regional School | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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| 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.