Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Millis vs Wareham
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Millis | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
2,909Lowest |
8,888 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
46.4±3Lowest 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham 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% |
18.4%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Millis 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% |
23.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 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% MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 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 |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Millis and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Millis and Wareham 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 |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Millis 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 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 |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Millis 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 | — | #63 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Millis | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | Millis High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | 10.7Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.