Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Upton
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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
2,909Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±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±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Upton 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%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 |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.