Compare towns
Amesbury vs Bourne vs Wareham vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
Northbridge has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Amesbury | Bourne | Wareham | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
20,323 |
23,302Highest |
16,458Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% 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%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest 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+ | 44.8% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 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 | $103,554±$12k about the MA average |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Bourne and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115Highest 4% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Amesbury and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Amesbury and Northbridge 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
9.8 |
8.6Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.