Compare towns
Wareham vs Harwich vs Marion
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
13,598 |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
53.8±4 35% above MA |
| Harwich and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Harwich and Marion 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% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest 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 |
$96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$658,600±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
| Harwich and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% 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 | $4,341 28% below MA |
$4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Harwich 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% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.8% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Harwich 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 | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Monomoy Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
11.8Highest |
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| 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.