Compare towns
Bourne vs Dalton vs Merrimac
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 people working from home (14.9%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Merrimac has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
6,256Lowest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
| Bourne and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Merrimac 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% |
26.7%±5.8Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
| Bourne and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
| Bourne and Merrimac 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 |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Merrimac 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% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Dalton 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 | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Central Berkshire | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wahconah Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.9Highest |
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| 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.