Compare towns
Bourne vs Buzzards Bay vs Williamsburg
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 most expensive homes ($576k median).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Williamsburg has the most people working from home (26.5%).
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 | Williamsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
2,909 |
2,694Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
50±2.4Lowest 25% 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% |
18.6%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Williamsburg 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%±3.5Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±2.7Lowest 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 |
$104,792±$21kHighest about the MA average |
| Williamsburg and Buzzards Bay 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±$28k 19% below MA |
$403,100±$37kLowest 28% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,420±$228 19% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Williamsburg 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 |
$5,761Highest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61%±28 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Williamsburg 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% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.5%±6.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Williamsburg 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Williamsburg |
| 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.