Compare towns
Bourne vs Amesbury vs Wareham vs Salisbury
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 ($576k median).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Amesbury | Wareham | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
17,403 |
23,302Highest |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
43.7±1.7Lowest 9% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 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+ | 46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$103,554±$12kHighest about the MA average |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Amesbury and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Bourne and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 25% below MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Amesbury 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 | #151 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Amesbury | Wareham | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Amesbury High | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.9Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.