Compare towns
Bourne vs Brookfield vs Buzzards Bay vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($736k median).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Wareham has the youngest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Bourne | Brookfield | Buzzards Bay | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,806Lowest |
3,460 |
2,909 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 61.2±3.5Highest 53% above MA |
52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.1%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Brookfield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.9% MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,847±$32kHighest 6% below MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $735,500±$156kHighest 31% above MA |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,835 36% below MA |
$5,092Highest 15% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±20.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.3%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±20.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | — | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Brookfield | — | Wareham |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.6 |
| 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.