Compare towns
Bourne vs Danvers vs Buzzards Bay vs Sandwich
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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Danvers has the youngest population (median age 45.3).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Sandwich has the most homeowners (89.2%).
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 | Danvers | Buzzards Bay | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
28,098Highest |
2,909Lowest |
20,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
51.8±1.8 30% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay 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% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sandwich and Danvers 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% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay 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% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay 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±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$122,486±$12k 18% above MA |
| Danvers and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$601,400±$26k 7% above MA |
| Danvers and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,751±$121 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 25% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,483 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
31.9%±13.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Buzzards Bay 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | — | #77 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | — | Sandwich |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | — | Sandwich Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 10.7 |
| 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.