Compare towns
Wareham vs Sunderland 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Sunderland has the most renters (58% rent).
Westport has the most kids (16.5% under 18).
Sunderland is a college town. 25.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sunderland | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
3,641Lowest |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
50.7±1.8 27% above MA |
| Wareham and Westport 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% |
9%±3.3Lowest 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%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Westport 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% |
62.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA |
| Westport 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 |
$458,100±$52k 19% below MA |
$521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA |
| Westport and Sunderland 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 |
$1,672±$151Highest 5% below MA |
$1,425±$356Lowest 19% below MA |
| Sunderland 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 |
$5,611Highest 6% below MA |
$3,719Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±19.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland and Westport 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% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sunderland 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 | #220 of 282 in MA | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Sunderland | Westport |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | 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.