Compare towns
Wareham vs Southwick vs Bourne vs Marion
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Southwick has the youngest population (median age 46.8).
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Marion has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Southwick | Bourne | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
9,217 |
20,323 |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
46.8±1.8Lowest 17% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% 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% |
18.2%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Southwick 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% |
21%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 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% |
35.1% MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest 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 |
$120,462±$16k 16% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Marion and Southwick 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 |
$397,500±$27kLowest 29% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,332±$72 24% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
| Wareham and Bourne 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 |
$5,331 11% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
51%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest 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% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.4% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Southwick 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 | #211 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Southwick Regional School | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
11.0Highest |
9.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.