Compare towns
Bourne vs Halifax vs Buzzards Bay vs Kingston
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).
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Kingston has the most people working from home (19.5%).
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 | Halifax | Buzzards Bay | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
7,748 |
2,909Lowest |
14,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
46.5±3.9 16% 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% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Kingston 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% |
18.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.8%±3.7 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% MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$119,876±$13kHighest 15% above MA |
| Kingston and Halifax 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 |
$481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
| Kingston and Bourne 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 |
$1,804±$375Highest about the MA average |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
| Halifax and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$6,840 14% above MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston and Buzzards Bay 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | — | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Halifax | — | Kingston · Silver Lake |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | — | Silver Lake Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | — | 12.0Highest |
| 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.