Compare towns
Wareham vs Buzzards Bay vs Marion
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
2,909Lowest |
5,310 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
53.8±4 35% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Marion 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% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Marion 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 |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
| Wareham and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion 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% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | — | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.