Compare towns
Bourne vs Dalton vs Lee vs Wareham
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).
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Lee | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
6,256 |
5,719Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
49.7±5.8Lowest 24% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Lee and Wareham 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% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 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%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Bourne and Wareham 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 |
$352,700±$19k 37% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,276 29% below MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Lee 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%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
22 min 24% below MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Central Berkshire | Lee | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wahconah Regional High | Lee Middle/High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.9Highest |
9.2 |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.