Compare towns
Bourne vs Brookline vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Brookline | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
5,736Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bourne and Brookline 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 13% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Bourne and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 44% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #206 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Brookline School District | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.