Compare towns
Wareham vs Harwich 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).
Harwich has the most expensive homes ($659k median).
Fairhaven has the most kids (16.9% 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 | Harwich | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
13,598Lowest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and Wareham 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% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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 |
$96,966±$13kHighest 7% below MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Harwich 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±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$658,600±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Harwich and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Highest 28% below MA |
$4,189 30% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harwich 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% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Harwich 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 | #157 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Monomoy Regional High School | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
11.8Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.