Compare towns
Bernardston vs Bourne vs Wareham
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 the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,164Lowest |
20,323 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±3.2Lowest 23% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% 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 | 17.6%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bernardston and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 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+ | 29.1% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 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 | $81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,516Highest 25% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pioneer Valley | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.