Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Plympton
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%).
Plympton has the most kids (21.6% 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 | Plympton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
2,909Lowest |
2,935 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
46.4±4.2Lowest 16% 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% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton 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% |
22.7%±5Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$517,800±$52k 8% below MA |
| Bourne and Plympton 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 |
$555±$148Lowest 69% 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 |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Plympton 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% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton 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 | — | #110 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Plympton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.