Compare towns
Wareham vs Sterling vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Sterling | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
8,183Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
51.5±1.8 29% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Wareham and Sterling 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% |
18.6%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Sterling 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% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Sterling 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 |
$129,063±$27k 24% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Sutton and Sterling 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 |
$498,800±$48k 11% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Sutton and Sterling 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 |
$1,699±$161Highest 4% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Sterling and Wareham 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 |
$6,757 13% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Sutton 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% |
6% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Wachusett | Sutton |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.