Compare towns
Wareham vs West Wareham vs Bourne vs Fairhaven
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 most homeowners (83.5%).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Fairhaven has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
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 | West Wareham | Bourne | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
20,323 |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
| West Wareham and Wareham 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% |
14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and West Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| West Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1% MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$11k 13% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Bourne 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 |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
— | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| 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 28% below MA |
$4,765Highest 20% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham 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 | — | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | — | 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 |
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.