Compare towns
Bourne vs Dalton vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Dalton | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
6,256 |
5,158Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
49.7±5.8Lowest 24% above MA |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
| Bourne and Deerfield 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% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Dalton 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% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield 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±$7k 12% below MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
| Deerfield and Bourne 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 |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
| Bourne and Deerfield 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 |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Dalton 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% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% below MA |
22 min 24% below MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Bourne 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Central Berkshire | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wahconah Regional High | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.9 |
11.1Highest |
| 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.