What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).

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	Northampton
People
Population	23,302Lowest	30,962Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	16%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Northampton 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%	20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	62.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA	$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA
	Wareham and Northampton 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	$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA
	Northampton and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA	$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA
	Wareham and Northampton 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	$5,680Highest 5% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Northampton and Wareham 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%	13.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% below MA	21 minLowest 26% below MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#272 of 282 in MA	#159 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Northampton High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	14.7Highest
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.