Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Lenox vs Mashpee
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 youngest population (median age 52).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Lenox has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Mashpee has the most homeowners (81.9%).
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 | Lenox | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
2,909Lowest |
5,079 |
15,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
| Lenox and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Lenox and Mashpee 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% |
52.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest 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±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$106,080±$31kHighest about the MA average |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Lenox and Mashpee 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±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$466,700±$43k 17% below MA |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
| Bourne and Mashpee 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 |
$1,091±$238Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
| Mashpee 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 |
$5,299Highest 12% below MA |
$3,762 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.2%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Lenox 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% MA: 10% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
23 minLowest 22% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lenox 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 | — | #90 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Lenox | Mashpee |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | Lenox Memorial High | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | 7.6Lowest |
9.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.