Compare towns

Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Everett vs Fall River

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 homeowners (75.8%).
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k 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.

MeasureBourneBuzzards BayEverettFall River
People
Population
20,323
2,909Lowest
50,045
94,082Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.5%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+10.9%
MA: +7.4%
+17.8%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+5.8%
MA: +7.4%
Median age
52±1.8
30% above MA
54.4±5.9Highest
36% above MA
35.2±1.5Lowest
12% below MA
39.3±1.2
about the MA average
Buzzards Bay 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%
6.7%±2.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
21.8%±2.1Highest
MA: 19.4%
19.9%±1.2
MA: 19.4%
Everett and Fall River 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%
32.3%±5.2Highest
MA: 17.9%
11.3%±1.1Lowest
MA: 17.9%
16.1%±0.9
MA: 17.9%
Buzzards Bay 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%Highest
MA: 47.3%
29.6%
MA: 47.3%
24.9%
MA: 47.3%
16.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.6%±1.6
MA: 7.9%
8.9%±1.4Highest
MA: 7.9%
6.3%±0.9
MA: 7.9%
4.1%±0.6Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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
$94,388±$12kHighest
9% below MA
$85,218±$7k
18% below MA
$56,673±$3kLowest
45% below MA
Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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
$454,500±$28k
19% below MA
$610,000±$23kHighest
9% above MA
$395,500±$11kLowest
30% below MA
Everett and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,379±$300
22% below MA
$1,484±$601
16% below MA
$2,076±$69Highest
18% above MA
$1,155±$27Lowest
34% below MA
Everett and Buzzards Bay 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
$3,405Lowest
43% below MA
$4,880Highest
19% below MA
$3,953
34% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.8%±5.5Highest
MA: 51.8%
37.9%±20.3Lowest
MA: 51.8%
56.4%±5.8
MA: 51.8%
52.5%±3.3
MA: 51.8%
Bourne and Everett 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%
7.3%
MA: 10%
14.7%
MA: 10%
19.6%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.8%Highest
MA: 62.5%
75.7%
MA: 62.5%
37.2%
MA: 62.5%
35.3%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Highest
11 yrs newer than MA
1956
8 yrs older than MA
1938Lowest
26 yrs older than MA
1945
19 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
11% below MA
32 min
10% above MA
35 minHighest
20% above MA
26 minLowest
11% below MA
Work from home
14.9%±3.1
MA: 18.6%
17.4%±6.3Highest
MA: 18.6%
10.5%±2
MA: 18.6%
7.1%±1.2Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Buzzards Bay 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 — #264 of 282 in MA #262 of 282 in MA
School district Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical — Everett Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical — Everett High B M C Durfee High
Students per teacherat that high school
9.8Lowest
—
12.1Highest
11.3
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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.