Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Gardner
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).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Buzzards Bay | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
2,909Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| 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% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner 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% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% 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±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Gardner |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.