Compare towns
Bourne vs Lee 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).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
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 | Lee | Wareham | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
5,719 |
23,302Highest |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
| Lee and Buzzards Bay 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% |
12.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest 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% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Buzzards Bay 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% |
44.1% 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% |
5%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay 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±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,375±$212Lowest 22% 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 | $4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$3,980 34% below 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% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Lee 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% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1959 5 yrs older 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 |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Lee | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Lee Middle/High School | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
9.2 |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.