Compare towns
Wareham vs Bow vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 | Bow | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
8,335Lowest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.5±3.4 25% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$95,965±$19k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$446,700±$19k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Bow and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341 39% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.1%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #272 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Bow School District | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Bow High School | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.