What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has the most expensive homes ($425k median).

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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	Plainville
People
Population	23,302Highest	17,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S.	44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainville 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 U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wareham and Plainville 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 U.S.: 35.7%	30%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville 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 12% above U.S.	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.
	Wareham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kHighest 28% above U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S.	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S.	$4,798Highest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wareham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wareham and Plainville 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	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Wareham	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.