Compare towns
Wareham vs Dudley vs Marion vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Marion has the most people working from home (20.1%).
Fairhaven has the oldest housing (typical home built 1952).
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 | Dudley | Marion | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
11,929 |
5,310Lowest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% 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% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley 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% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 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% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dudley and Marion 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 |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below 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 |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,176±$516 33% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Wareham and Dudley 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 |
$3,691 38% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 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% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Marion 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Marion | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Shepherd Hill Regional High | None in town | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— | 11.4 |
| 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.