Compare towns
Wareham vs Norfolk vs Upton 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 affordable homes ($425k median).
Norfolk has the most people working from home (32.6%).
Marion has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Norfolk | Upton | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
11,673 |
8,189 |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
| Marion and Wareham 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% |
24.4%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Norfolk and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Wareham 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% |
61.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$200,720±$22kHighest 93% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$143,092±$30k 38% above MA |
| Norfolk and Upton 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 |
$725,200±$34kHighest 29% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
| Norfolk and Marion 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 |
$2,019±$598Highest 15% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,176±$516 33% below MA |
| Norfolk 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 |
$9,651Highest 61% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$5,766 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±16 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Norfolk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
2.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
90.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.6%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Norfolk and Upton 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 | #123 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | King Philip · Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.