What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has the most homeowners (75.8%).

Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bourne	Gloucester
People
Population	20,323Lowest	30,075Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA	50.2±2.3Lowest 26% above MA
	Bourne and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Gloucester and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Bourne and Gloucester 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%	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA
	Bourne and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average	$600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA
	Gloucester and Bourne 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	$1,411±$94Highest 20% below MA
	Gloucester and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA	$6,152Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%	55.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Gloucester 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%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 11% below MA	24 minLowest 18% below MA
Work from home	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne and Gloucester 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	#164 of 282 in MA
School district	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Gloucester
High school in town	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical	Gloucester High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	10.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.