Compare towns
Bourne vs Everett vs Saugus vs Wareham
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%).
Saugus has the highest household income ($102k).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
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 | Saugus | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Lowest |
50,045Highest |
28,773 |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham 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% |
15.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
31.4% MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Everett 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 |
$101,539±$3kHighest about the MA average |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Everett and Saugus 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±$69 18% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Saugus and Everett 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 |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$6,049Highest about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Saugus 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 | #194 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | Saugus | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Everett High | Saugus High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
12.1 |
15.5Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.