Compare towns
Beverly vs Bourne vs Wareham vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most kids (18.5% under 18).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Beverly | Bourne | Wareham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 42,665 |
20,323Lowest |
23,302 |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Beverly and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest 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+ | 53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kHighest about the MA average |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
| Salem and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Highest 14% above MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 3% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Beverly and Salem 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham | Salem |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
9.8 |
8.6Lowest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.