What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

Barre has the most kids (15.8% 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.

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

Measure	Wareham	Barre
People
Population	23,302Highest	5,572Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA
	Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.8%±5.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Barre and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	31.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±3.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Barre 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	$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA
	Barre and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA	$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA
	Wareham and Barre 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	$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA
	Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA	$5,163Highest 14% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%	38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	36 minHighest 24% above MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wareham and Barre 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	#272 of 282 in MA	#134 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Quabbin
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Quabbin Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	12.9Highest
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.