Compare towns
Wareham vs Mashpee vs Buzzards Bay
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).
Mashpee has the most expensive homes ($562k median).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Mashpee | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
15,384 |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
| Mashpee and Buzzards Bay 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% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mashpee 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% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Mashpee and Buzzards Bay 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% |
44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$95,299±$13kHighest 8% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
| Mashpee and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$562,200±$29kHighest about the MA average |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA |
| Mashpee 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 |
$3,762 37% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay and Mashpee 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Wareham | Mashpee | — |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Mashpee Middle-High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.6Highest |
— |
| 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.