Compare towns
Wareham vs Sutton vs Fairhaven vs Somerset
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%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Somerset has the most affordable homes ($419k median).
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 | Sutton | Fairhaven | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
9,452Lowest |
15,903 |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
47±2.2 18% above MA |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Somerset 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Somerset 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$418,800±$18kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,271±$93 28% below MA |
| Wareham and Somerset 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 |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #272 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Sutton | Fairhaven | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Sutton High School | Fairhaven High | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.4 |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.