Compare towns
Westport vs Upton vs Wareham vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 | Upton | Wareham | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,484 |
8,189Lowest |
23,302Highest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±1.8 27% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Fairhaven 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 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±$9k 8% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $521,900±$38k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Upton and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$356 19% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,118±$79 37% 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 | $3,719 38% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±19.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Westport and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #195 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Westport | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Westport Middle-High School | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
11.2 |
8.6Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.