Compare towns
Bourne vs Ashfield vs Wendell
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).
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Ashfield | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
1,893 |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
47.1±8.8Lowest 18% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wendell and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashfield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$80,833±$16k 22% below MA |
$65,288±$14kLowest 37% below MA |
| Bourne and Ashfield 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 |
$400,600±$30k 29% below MA |
$290,300±$31kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,100±$200Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,239±$519 30% below MA |
| Bourne and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,197Highest 13% below MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34 MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.1% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield and Wendell 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Mohawk Trail | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.