What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has the most people working from home (12.4%).

Rochester has the most kids (20.1% under 18).

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	Rochester
People
Population	23,302Highest	5,837Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	46.5±6Lowest 16% above MA
	Wareham and Rochester 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%	20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham and Rochester 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%	43.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham and Rochester 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	$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA	$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA	$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA
	Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA	$6,530Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8%	39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Highest MA: 10%	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	37 minHighest 25% above MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Wareham and Rochester 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	#104 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	9.1Highest
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.