Compare towns
Bourne vs Harwich vs Wareham
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 kids (14.7% under 18).
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
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 | Harwich | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
13,598Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Harwich 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% |
50.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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 |
$96,966±$13kHighest 7% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Harwich 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 |
$658,600±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Harwich and Wareham 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 |
$4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Harwich 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 | #157 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Monomoy Regional High School | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
11.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.