Compare towns

Bourne vs Conway vs Salisbury

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%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).

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.

MeasureBourneConwaySalisbury
People
Population
20,323Highest
1,755Lowest
9,281
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.5%
MA: +7.4%
-7.2%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+11.5%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
52±1.8
30% above MA
55.6±3Highest
39% above MA
51.3±3.5Lowest
28% above MA
Conway 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%
16.5%±3.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
13.1%±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%±3.1
MA: 17.9%
31.9%±4.1Highest
MA: 17.9%
25.5%±3.5Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Conway 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%
60.5%Highest
MA: 47.3%
43.8%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.6%±1.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
2.6%±1.2Lowest
MA: 7.9%
4.9%±1.7
MA: 7.9%
Bourne and Salisbury 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
$93,361±$6k
10% below MA
Conway and Salisbury 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
$478,700±$27k
15% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,379±$300Lowest
22% below MA
$1,800±$990Highest
about the MA average
$1,691±$411
4% below MA
Conway and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,485Lowest
25% below MA
$5,797Highest
3% below MA
$4,604
23% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.8%±5.5Highest
MA: 51.8%
23.9%±33.6Lowest
MA: 51.8%
61.9%±11.5
MA: 51.8%
Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.2%Highest
MA: 10%
4.4%Lowest
MA: 10%
5%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.8%
MA: 62.5%
93.4%Highest
MA: 62.5%
71.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Lowest
11 yrs newer than MA
1976
12 yrs newer than MA
1980Highest
16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
11% below MA
24 minLowest
18% below MA
28 minHighest
5% below MA
Work from home
14.9%±3.1Lowest
MA: 18.6%
29.1%±8.5Highest
MA: 18.6%
19.8%±5.8
MA: 18.6%
Conway and Salisbury 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 — #240 of 282 in MA
School district Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical Conway Triton
High school in town Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical None in town 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.