Compare towns
Wareham vs Halifax 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).
Halifax has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Marion has the most people working from home (20.1%).
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 | Halifax | Marion | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
7,748 |
5,310Lowest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
41.9±4.7Lowest 5% 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% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax 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% |
18.8%±3.6Lowest 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% |
36.1% 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% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest 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 |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Marion and Halifax 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 |
$481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,804±$375Highest about the MA average |
$1,176±$516 33% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Halifax 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 |
$6,840Highest 14% 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% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest 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% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%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 |
1979Highest 15 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 |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Halifax 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Halifax | 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.