Compare towns
Wareham vs Dunstable 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
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Marion has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 | Dunstable | Marion | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
3,408Lowest |
5,310 |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
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% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable 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% |
15%±2.6Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Dunstable 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$143,092±$30k 38% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Dunstable and Marion 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 |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,176±$516 33% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Wareham and Dunstable 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 |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$5,766 4% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.8% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Dunstable 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Groton-Dunstable | Marion | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | None in town | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | — | 11.4Highest |
| 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.