Compare towns
Bourne vs Dunstable vs Salisbury vs Mashpee
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).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
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.
| Measure | Bourne | Dunstable | Salisbury | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
3,408Lowest |
9,281 |
15,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Mashpee 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% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,325±$637Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
| Mashpee 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 |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1987 23 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dunstable 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Groton-Dunstable | Triton | Mashpee |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | None in town | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | — | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.