Compare towns
Wareham vs Peabody vs Somerset
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 oldest population (median age 52.1).
Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).
Somerset has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Peabody | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302 |
54,695Highest |
18,298Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.3±2.4Lowest 13% above MA |
47±2.2 18% above MA |
| Wareham and Somerset 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% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Somerset and Peabody 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% |
24.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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% |
35% MA: 47.3% |
37.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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 |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$112,677±$6kHighest 8% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$418,800±$18kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,271±$93Lowest 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,065Highest 15% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Peabody | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.3 |
11.6Highest |
| 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.