What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has the most kids (22.1% under 18).

Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellingham	Bourne
People
Population	17,410Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	46%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kHighest 21% above MA	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA
	Bellingham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Highest 16% below MA	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%	6.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Bellingham 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	#232 of 282 in MA	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Bellingham	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.