Compare towns
Bourne vs Dedham vs Buzzards Bay vs Salisbury
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).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Buzzards Bay has the most affordable homes ($455k median).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Dedham | Buzzards Bay | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
25,237Highest |
2,909Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% 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% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham 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% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | — | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Dedham | — | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Dedham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— | — |
| 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.