Compare towns
Weweantic vs Dedham vs Wareham vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weweantic has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($282k median).
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 | Weweantic | Dedham | Wareham | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,452 |
25,237Highest |
23,302 |
1,240Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±13.9Lowest 11% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.9±3.7 15% above MA |
| Wareham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±8.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Weweantic and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,481±$39kLowest 40% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,800±$42k 25% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,764Lowest 37% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,522 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
54.1%±22.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
82.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Wareham | Gateway |
| High school in town | — | — | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.