Compare towns
Wareham vs Dover vs Fairhaven vs Bourne
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%).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Dover | Fairhaven | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
5,930Lowest |
15,903 |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Bourne 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Bourne 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
| Dover and Wareham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #272 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Fairhaven | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Fairhaven High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.8 |
11.4Highest |
9.8 |
| 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.