Compare towns
Wareham vs Middlefield vs Marion
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 renters (16.5% rent).
Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
Marion has the most expensive homes ($654k median).
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 | Middlefield | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
352Lowest |
5,310 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
53.8±4 35% above MA |
| Middlefield and Marion 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% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marion 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% |
28.7%±8.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Middlefield and Marion 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% |
31.8% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Wareham 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 |
$103,750±$23k about the MA average |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Marion and Middlefield 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 |
$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
| Middlefield 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 |
$4,926 18% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Marion 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% |
12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Middlefield 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 | — | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | — | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.