Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Salisbury 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 most expensive homes ($736k median).
Buzzards Bay has the most affordable homes ($455k median).
Salisbury has the most renters (28.8% rent).
Bourne has the most kids (14.7% 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 | Salisbury | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,806Lowest |
2,909 |
9,281 |
20,323Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest 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 |
51.3±3.5Lowest 28% above MA |
52±1.8 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% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest 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% |
43.8% 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% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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 |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% 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±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
| Bourne and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
| Salisbury 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 |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,604Highest 23% 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% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±20.2 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | — | #240 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Triton | 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.