What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).

Stoughton has the most kids (18.5% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wareham	Stoughton
People
Population	23,302Lowest	29,225Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA	45.7±1.9Lowest 14% above MA
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.5%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%	20.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham and Stoughton 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%	41.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Stoughton 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	$104,794±$6kHighest about the MA average
	Stoughton and Wareham 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	$523,800±$28kHighest 7% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA	$2,050±$200Highest 16% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA	$6,215Highest 4% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Stoughton and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	33 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	15.4%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Stoughton 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	#196 of 282 in MA
School district	Wareham	Stoughton
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Stoughton High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	10.8Highest
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.