Compare towns
Bourne vs Nahant vs Wareham vs Buzzards Bay
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).
Nahant has the highest household income ($113k).
Wareham has the most kids (13.1% under 18).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Nahant | Wareham | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,806Lowest |
3,325 |
23,302Highest |
2,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 61.2±3.5Highest 53% above MA |
60.7±2.9 52% above MA |
52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
| Bourne and Nahant 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% |
11%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Wareham and Nahant 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% |
36.2%±6.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.5% MA: 47.3% |
61.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±7 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,847±$32k 6% below MA |
$112,762±$6kHighest 8% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
| Nahant 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±$156k 31% above MA |
$748,800±$99kHighest 33% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Nahant and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,777±$334Highest about the MA average |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA |
| Nahant and Wareham 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 |
$6,615Highest 10% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±20.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±17.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Nahant and Wareham 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% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±20.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.7%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Nahant 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 | #129 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nahant | 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.