Compare towns
Wareham Center vs Buzzards Bay vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering Wareham CenterWeweantic
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham Center has the most people working from home (21.5%).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Wareham Center | Buzzards Bay | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,635Highest |
2,909 |
2,684Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±6.9 27% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
45.3±9.8Lowest 13% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±6.5 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham Center and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,936±$8k 12% below MA |
$94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
$75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,700±$54k 24% below MA |
$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,415±$537 20% below MA |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,217 30% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.9%±27.1 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hardwick and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.5%±13Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham Center and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | — | #163 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.