Compare towns
Wareham vs Warner vs Bourne 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Fairhaven has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Warner | Bourne | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
2,959Lowest |
20,323 |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
43.7±4Lowest 12% above U.S. |
52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
48.5±3.4 25% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Bourne 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% |
17.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Warner and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bourne 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 12% above U.S. |
$94,022±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$91,058±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$95,965±$19kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Fairhaven and Warner 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. |
$353,100±$22kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$446,700±$19k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,219±$123 14% below U.S. |
$1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Wareham and Bourne 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. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,485 44% above U.S. |
$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.1%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warner and Bourne 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 | — | #206 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Kearsarge Regional School District | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.8 |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.