Compare towns
Westport vs Fall River vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westport has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Wareham has the most people working from home (12.4%).
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 | Westport | Fall River | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,484Lowest |
94,082Highest |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±1.8 27% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fall River and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Westport and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Westport and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$356 19% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,719Lowest 38% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$4,341Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±19.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Westport and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.2%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Westport 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 | #195 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Westport | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham |
| High school in town | Westport Middle-High School | B M C Durfee High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
11.3 |
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.