Compare towns
Wareham vs Epping vs Marion vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Epping | Marion | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
7,430 |
5,310Lowest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.8±4Highest 38% above U.S. |
46.5±6 20% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rochester and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 12% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$120,273±$12k 49% above U.S. |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$599,100±$31k 80% above U.S. |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,432±$743 about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,766 85% above U.S. |
$6,530 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marion and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Marion 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #141 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Epping School District | Marion | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Epping High School | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.3Highest |
— | 9.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.