What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Chicopee has the most kids (19.2% 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	Chicopee
People
Population	23,302Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Highest 28% below MA	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee 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%	17.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958 6 yrs older than MA	1958 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% below MA	21 minLowest 27% below MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wareham and Chicopee 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	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Chicopee
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	11.2Highest
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.