What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Norton has the most people working from home (19%).

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	Norton
People
Population	23,302Highest	19,240Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	17.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Norton 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%	17.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	45.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA	$124,535±$11kHighest 20% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA	$501,400±$27kHighest 11% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA	$1,911±$375Highest 8% above MA
	Norton 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	$5,929Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%	46.6%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Norton 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%	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	33 minHighest 12% above MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Norton and Wareham 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	#173 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Norton
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Norton High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	10.9Highest
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.