Compare towns
Bourne vs Gloucester vs Salisbury
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 homeowners (75.8%).
Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Gloucester | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
30,075Highest |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
50.2±2.3Lowest 26% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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% |
15.1%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest 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%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest 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% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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 |
$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$93,361±$6kHighest 10% below MA |
| Salisbury 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±$28k about the MA average |
$600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below 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±$94 20% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Gloucester 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 |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Gloucester | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Gloucester High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.0Highest |
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| 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.