What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wareham	Pittsfield
People
Population	23,302Lowest	43,457Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	17.6%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	19.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	34.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Pittsfield 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±$11kHighest 13% below MA	$70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA	$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA	$1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Highest 28% below MA	$4,148Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.8%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Pittsfield 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%	14.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% below MA	19 minLowest 36% below MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wareham and Pittsfield 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	#251 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Pittsfield
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Taconic High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	9.3Highest
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.