Compare towns
Bourne vs Brewster 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 kids (14.7% under 18).
Brewster has the most expensive homes ($708k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Brewster | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
10,420 |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA |
51.3±3.5Lowest 28% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Brewster 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% |
38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% MA: 47.3% |
55.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$103,317±$16kHighest about the MA average |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Brewster 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±$28k about the MA average |
$707,700±$51kHighest 26% above MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,589±$465 10% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Brewster 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 |
$4,397Lowest 27% below MA |
$4,604Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 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 | 6.2% MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
85%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Brewster and Salisbury 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 | #160 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Brewster | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
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| 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.