Compare towns
Wareham vs Lowell 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%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
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 | Lowell | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302 |
118,368Highest |
15,903Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
35.6±0.8Lowest 11% 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% |
21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
30% MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$78,658±$4kLowest 24% 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±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$429,200±$11k 24% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Lowell 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 |
$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Lowell 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 |
$4,499Highest 25% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lowell 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% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest 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 | #255 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Lowell | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Lowell High | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
14.8Highest |
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.