Compare towns
Wareham vs Barre vs Westport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Barre has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
Westport has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
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 | Barre | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
5,572Lowest |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
50.7±1.8 27% above MA |
| Wareham and Westport 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%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westport and Barre 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% |
24.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Westport 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% |
29.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westport and Wareham 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 |
$96,000±$9k 8% below MA |
| Barre and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,425±$356 19% below MA |
| Wareham and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341 28% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$3,719Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±19.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westport and Wareham 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% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±2.6Lowest 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 | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Quabbin | Westport |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Quabbin Regional High School | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.9Highest |
11.5 |
| 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.