Compare towns
Bourne 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 most expensive homes ($576k median).
Fairhaven has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Bourne | Fairhaven | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
15,903 |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 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% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven 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% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest 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% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 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±$7kLowest 12% 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±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% 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 | $4,485Highest 25% 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% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Fairhaven 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% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest 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 | #126 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Fairhaven High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.