Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Marion vs Bourne
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
Bourne has the youngest population (median age 52).
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 | Marion | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,806Lowest |
2,909 |
5,310 |
20,323Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 61.2±3.5Highest 53% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
53.8±4 35% above MA |
52±1.8Lowest 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% |
6.7%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Marion and Bourne 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% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,847±$32k 6% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
| Marion and Bourne 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±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
| Bourne and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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 |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±20.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Bourne 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% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±20.2 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Bourne 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 | — | #141 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Marion | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 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.