What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).

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	Marblehead
People
Population	23,302Highest	20,413Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	49.1±2Lowest 23% above MA
	Wareham and Marblehead 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%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham and Marblehead 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%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Marblehead 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	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA	$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average
	Marblehead and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Highest MA: 10%	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#272 of 282 in MA	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Marblehead
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	10.7Highest
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.