Compare towns
Bourne vs Gardner vs Webster 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).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
Mashpee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Gardner | Webster | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
21,148Highest |
17,748 |
15,384Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Webster 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 |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$95,299±$13kHighest 8% below MA |
| Mashpee and Bourne 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 |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
| Bourne and Mashpee 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 |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
| Mashpee 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 |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Mashpee 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner | Webster | Mashpee |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Gardner High | Bartlett High School | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
13.5Highest |
11.6 |
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.