Compare towns
Bourne vs Hampden vs Wareham 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).
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($358k median).
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 | Hampden | Wareham | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
4,946 |
23,302Highest |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
50.9±3.3Lowest 27% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Hampden 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% |
26.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest 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% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 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±$7k 12% below MA |
$104,536±$16kHighest about the MA average |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
| Hampden 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 |
$358,200±$16kLowest 36% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,132±$107Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
| Wareham 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 |
$6,181Highest 3% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 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 | #199 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Hampden-Wilbraham | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.