Compare towns
Wareham vs Dalton vs Fairhaven
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%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Fairhaven has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Dalton | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
6,256Lowest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
| Wareham and Dalton 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% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton 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% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton 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% |
44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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 |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Wareham 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 |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,118±$79 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Highest 28% below MA |
$4,276 29% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dalton and Wareham 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Central Berkshire | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Wahconah Regional High | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.9 |
11.4Highest |
| 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.