What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wareham	Ashland
People
Population	23,302Highest	18,873Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.4%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	60.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA	$127,539±$11kHighest 23% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA	$611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA	$7,444Highest 24% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ashland and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Highest MA: 10%	3.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#272 of 282 in MA	#42 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Ashland
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Ashland High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	14.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.