Compare towns
Wareham vs Lawrence 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 homeowners (83.5%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Fairhaven has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Lawrence | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302 |
88,736Highest |
15,903Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Wareham 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 |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Lawrence 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 |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,566 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Lawrence | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Lawrence High School | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
13.6Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.