What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wareham	Ludlow
People
Population	23,302Highest	20,904Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	44.3±1.8Lowest 11% above MA
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	16.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Ludlow and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	21.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	27%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA	$84,838±$7kLowest 18% below MA
	Wareham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA	$335,300±$10kLowest 40% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA	$1,223±$82Lowest 31% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA	$4,918Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%	50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Ludlow 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%	6.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	77.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1964Highest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% below MA	20 minLowest 31% below MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Ludlow 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	#154 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Ludlow
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Ludlow Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.