Compare towns
Bourne vs Ludlow vs Wareham 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 expensive homes ($576k median).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
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 | Ludlow | Wareham | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
20,904 |
23,302Highest |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
44.3±1.8Lowest 11% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Wareham 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% |
16.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ludlow 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% |
21.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
27%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$84,838±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% 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±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$335,300±$10kLowest 40% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,223±$82Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
| Salisbury and Wareham 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 |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 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% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #154 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Ludlow | Wareham | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Ludlow Senior High | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
11.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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| 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.