Compare towns
Wareham vs Dedham vs Marion vs Rochester
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 most affordable homes ($425k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
Rochester has the most kids (20.1% 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.
| Measure | Wareham | Dedham | Marion | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302 |
25,237Highest |
5,310Lowest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
46.5±6 16% 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% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Dedham 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% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest 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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Wareham 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 |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| Marion and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| Dedham and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,766 4% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
34 min 15% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Dedham | Marion | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Dedham High | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— | 9.1 |
| 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.