Compare towns
Wareham vs Salisbury 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 the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
Westport has the most kids (16.5% 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.
| Measure | Wareham | Salisbury | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
5,656Lowest |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
51±6.9 28% above MA |
50.7±1.8Lowest 27% above MA |
| Wareham and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westport and Wareham 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% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury 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% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±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±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$92,469±$7k 11% below MA |
$96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA |
| Westport and Salisbury 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 |
$465,900±$31k 17% below MA |
$521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA |
| Westport and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
$1,425±$356Lowest 19% below MA |
| Salisbury and Wareham 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 |
$4,561Highest 24% below MA |
$3,719Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±19.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Westport 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% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Wareham 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 | #240 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.