Compare towns
Ashfield vs Bourne vs Buzzards Bay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Ashfield | Bourne | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,893Lowest |
20,323Highest |
2,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
| Ashfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Ashfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,600±$30kLowest 29% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$200Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,197Highest 13% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±34 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | #206 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.