Compare towns

Bourne vs Conway vs Buzzards Bay

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).
Conway has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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.

MeasureBourneConwayBuzzards Bay
People
Population
20,323Highest
1,755Lowest
2,909
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.5%
MA: +7.4%
-7.2%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+10.9%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
52±1.8Lowest
30% above MA
55.6±3Highest
39% above MA
54.4±5.9
36% above MA
Conway and Buzzards Bay 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%
16.5%±3.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
6.7%±2.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Conway and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
29.8%±3.1Lowest
MA: 17.9%
31.9%±4.1
MA: 17.9%
32.3%±5.2Highest
MA: 17.9%
Buzzards Bay and Conway 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%
60.5%Highest
MA: 47.3%
29.6%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.6%±1.6
MA: 7.9%
2.6%±1.2Lowest
MA: 7.9%
8.9%±1.4Highest
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
$97,250±$11kHighest
6% below MA
$94,388±$12k
9% below MA
Conway 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
$395,900±$25kLowest
30% below MA
$454,500±$28k
19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,379±$300Lowest
22% below MA
$1,800±$990Highest
about the MA average
$1,484±$601
16% below MA
Conway 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
$5,797Highest
3% below MA
$3,405Lowest
43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.8%±5.5Highest
MA: 51.8%
23.9%±33.6Lowest
MA: 51.8%
37.9%±20.3
MA: 51.8%
Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.2%
MA: 10%
4.4%Lowest
MA: 10%
7.3%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.8%
MA: 62.5%
93.4%Highest
MA: 62.5%
75.7%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
11 yrs newer than MA
1976Highest
12 yrs newer than MA
1956Lowest
8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
11% below MA
24 minLowest
18% below MA
32 minHighest
10% above MA
Work from home
14.9%±3.1Lowest
MA: 18.6%
29.1%±8.5Highest
MA: 18.6%
17.4%±6.3
MA: 18.6%
Conway 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 Conway —
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 Our Story 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.