Compare towns
Wareham vs Plainfield vs Westport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Westport has the most expensive homes ($522k 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.
| Measure | Wareham | Plainfield | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
616Lowest |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
50.6±9.5Lowest 27% above MA |
50.7±1.8 27% above MA |
| Wareham and Westport 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% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Westport 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% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield 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% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westport 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±$11k 13% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA |
| Westport and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,425±$356 19% below MA |
| Wareham and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341 28% below MA |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
$3,719Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±19.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westport 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% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | — | Westport |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | — | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| 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.