Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Lawrence
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).
Lawrence has the most kids (26.3% 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 | Bourne | Buzzards Bay | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,806Lowest |
2,909 |
88,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 61.2±3.5Highest 53% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below 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% |
6.7%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest 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% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,847±$32kHighest 6% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% 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 |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
| Lawrence and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,835Highest 36% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,422 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±20.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.3% MA: 10% |
7.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±20.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest 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 | — | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Lawrence |
| High school in town | — | — | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.6 |
| 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.