Compare towns
Bourne vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
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 | Salisbury | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,806Lowest |
9,281 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 61.2±3.5Highest 53% above MA |
51.3±3.5Lowest 28% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 6.1%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Salisbury 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 |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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 |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
| Salisbury and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,835Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,604Highest 23% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±20.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury 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% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±20.2 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Triton | 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 |
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.