Compare towns
Bourne vs Dalton vs Lenox 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).
Lenox has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Lenox | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
6,256 |
5,079Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
49.7±5.8Lowest 24% above MA |
60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest 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% |
40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lenox 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% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.7%Highest 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% |
4.5%±2.8 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±$7k 12% below MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$106,080±$31kHighest about the MA average |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Lenox 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 |
$466,700±$43k 17% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,091±$238 38% 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 | $4,485 25% below MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,299Highest 12% 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% |
47.2%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% 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 |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
23 min 22% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lenox 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 | #90 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Central Berkshire | Lenox | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wahconah Regional High | Lenox Memorial High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.9Highest |
7.6Lowest |
8.6 |
| 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.