Compare towns
Wareham vs Reading vs Marion vs Bourne
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 most affordable homes ($425k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Marion has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
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 | Reading | Marion | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302 |
25,612Highest |
5,310Lowest |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
| Marion and Wareham 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Marion 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% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Marion 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Bourne 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$143,092±$30k 38% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Reading and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,766 4% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Marion 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Reading | Marion | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Reading Memorial High | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.