Compare towns
Bernardston vs Bourne vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Chester has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
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 | Bernardston | Bourne | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,164 |
20,323Highest |
1,240Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±3.2 23% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.9±3.7Lowest 15% above MA |
| Bourne and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
| Bourne and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15k 41% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553 27% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
| Bourne and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,516 25% below MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$4,522Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.1%±22.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Bernardston 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 | Pioneer Valley | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Gateway |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| 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.