Compare towns
Bourne vs Everett vs Fairhaven 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Fairhaven has the most affordable homes ($447k median).
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Everett | Fairhaven | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
50,045Highest |
15,903 |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
48.5±3.4 21% 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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 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% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest 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±$7k 12% below MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
| Fairhaven 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±$28k about the MA average |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Everett and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
| Everett and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$3,566 40% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Everett 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% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | Fairhaven | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Everett High | Fairhaven High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.4 |
— |
| 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.