Compare towns
Barnstable Town vs Bourne vs Stoughton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstable Town has the most expensive homes ($603k median).
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
Stoughton has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Barnstable Town | Bourne | Stoughton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 49,568Highest |
20,323Lowest |
29,225 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.7±1.9Lowest 14% above MA |
| Bourne and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoughton and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.1% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Stoughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,982±$6k 12% below MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$104,794±$6kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $602,500±$14kHighest 7% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$523,800±$28kLowest 7% below MA |
| Barnstable Town and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$127 9% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,050±$200Highest 16% above MA |
| Stoughton and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$6,215Highest 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.4%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stoughton and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
15.4%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stoughton and Bourne 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 | #189 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #196 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Barnstable | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Stoughton |
| High school in town | Barnstable High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Stoughton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
9.8Lowest |
10.8Highest |
| 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.