Compare towns
Wareham vs Sutton vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
2,239Lowest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
48.5±3.4 25% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Sutton 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 12% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$95,965±$19k 19% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$446,700±$19kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Fairhaven and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341 39% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.1%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | — | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Kearsarge Regional School District | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Kearsarge Regional High School | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.4 |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.