Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Lee vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Kingston has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
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 | Lee | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
2,909Lowest |
5,719 |
14,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
46.5±3.9Lowest 16% above MA |
| Lee and Buzzards Bay 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% |
12.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Kingston 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%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.8%±3.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest 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±$12k 9% below MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$119,876±$13kHighest 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
| Kingston 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±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,159±$244Lowest 34% 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 | $4,485 25% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,980 34% below MA |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | #209 of 282 in MA | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Lee | Kingston · Silver Lake |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | Lee Middle/High School | Silver Lake Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | 9.2Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.