Compare towns
Wareham vs Wakefield vs Weweantic vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Weweantic has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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 | Wakefield | Weweantic | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302 |
27,793Highest |
1,452Lowest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44.4±13.9 11% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
| Wareham and Rochester 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Rochester 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.6% MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
10.1%±8.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Weweantic 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±$11k 13% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$62,481±$39kLowest 40% below MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| Wakefield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$420,800±$42kLowest 25% below MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
— | $1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341 28% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$3,764Lowest 37% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Wakefield 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% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
0%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #272 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | — | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | — | — | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | — | — | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | — | 9.1Highest |
| 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.