Compare towns
Wareham vs Clinton vs Fairhaven 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).
Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Fairhaven has the oldest housing (typical home built 1952).
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 | Clinton | Fairhaven | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
15,563 |
15,903 |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
| Marion and Wareham 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% |
17.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Clinton and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Wareham 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% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$89,781±$10kLowest 14% below MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Marion and Fairhaven 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 |
$387,300±$19kLowest 31% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,176±$516 33% below MA |
| Wareham and Clinton 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 |
$4,654 22% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 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% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Clinton 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 | #246 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Clinton | Fairhaven | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Clinton Senior High | Fairhaven High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.