West Wareham, Massachusetts Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

West Wareham is a small community located in Massachusetts, within Plymouth County. The total population is 2,257. It ranks as the 178th most populous out of 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Wareham is 57.6 years. This is 44% higher than the state median of 40.0 years. Only 14.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 21.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Wareham is $58,560. This is 44% lower than the state median of $103,960. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.9%. This is 99% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 12.2%. This is 136% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $230,800. Housing costs are 59% lower than the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 78.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 62.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in West Wareham is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.1% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 2.6%. The Black or African American population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 6.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 7.2%.

Education

18.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 61% lower than the state rate of 47.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Wareham, Massachusetts is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Massachusetts state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.