Compare towns
Acushnet vs Bourne vs Wareham vs Carver
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acushnet has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Carver has the most homeowners (88.7%).
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 | Acushnet | Bourne | Wareham | Carver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,624Lowest |
20,323 |
23,302Highest |
11,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8 15% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
45.9±3.5Lowest 15% above MA |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Acushnet and Carver are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.7 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
28.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,503±$9kLowest 14% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$91,250±$23kHighest 12% below MA |
| Carver and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34k 22% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$434,200±$21k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,827±$345Highest 4% above MA |
| Carver and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,647 22% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,455Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55%±23.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Carver 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 | #118 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #237 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acushnet | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham | Carver |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | Carver Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
9.7 |
| 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.