Compare towns
West Wareham vs Fairhaven vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering West WarehamRochester
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Fairhaven has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
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 | West Wareham | Fairhaven | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,257Lowest |
15,903 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% 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 | 14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest 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+ | 35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and West Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,765Highest 20% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 23% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham 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 | — | #126 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Fairhaven | Wareham |
| High school in town | — | Fairhaven High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.