Compare towns

Bourne vs Deerfield vs Buzzards Bay

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).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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.

MeasureBourneDeerfieldBuzzards Bay
People
Population
20,323Highest
5,158
2,909Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.5%
MA: +7.4%
-0.7%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+10.9%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
52±1.8
30% above MA
51.8±3.6Lowest
30% above MA
54.4±5.9Highest
36% 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%±2.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
13.2%±3.7
MA: 19.4%
6.7%±2.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Bourne and Deerfield 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%
22.9%±4.2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
32.3%±5.2Highest
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%Highest
MA: 47.3%
44.4%
MA: 47.3%
29.6%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.6%±1.6Lowest
MA: 7.9%
7.9%±3.4
MA: 7.9%
8.9%±1.4Highest
MA: 7.9%
Buzzards Bay and Deerfield 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
$106,136±$14kHighest
about the MA average
$94,388±$12k
9% below MA
Deerfield and Buzzards Bay 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
$414,900±$37kLowest
26% below MA
$454,500±$28k
19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,379±$300
22% below MA
$1,334±$318Lowest
24% below MA
$1,484±$601Highest
16% below MA
Buzzards Bay 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
$5,824Highest
about the MA average
$3,405Lowest
43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.8%±5.5Highest
MA: 51.8%
26.1%±15.1Lowest
MA: 51.8%
37.9%±20.3
MA: 51.8%
Bourne and Buzzards Bay 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%
7.8%Highest
MA: 10%
7.3%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.8%
MA: 62.5%
78.4%Highest
MA: 62.5%
75.7%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Highest
11 yrs newer than MA
1972
8 yrs newer than MA
1956Lowest
8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
11% below MA
18 minLowest
40% below MA
32 minHighest
10% above MA
Work from home
14.9%±3.1Lowest
MA: 18.6%
17.5%±6.2Highest
MA: 18.6%
17.4%±6.3
MA: 18.6%
Deerfield 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 #156 of 282 in MA —
School district Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical Deerfield · Frontier —
High school in town Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical Frontier Regional —
Students per teacherat that high school
9.8Lowest
11.1Highest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.