Compare towns
Bourne vs Mansfield vs Buzzards Bay vs Mashpee
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).
Mansfield has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Mashpee has the most homeowners (81.9%).
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 | Mansfield | Buzzards Bay | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
23,931Highest |
2,909Lowest |
15,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
| Mashpee 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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Mashpee 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% MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
| Mansfield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,803±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,776±$330 about the MA average |
| Mansfield and Mashpee 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 |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,762 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Mansfield 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 | #60 of 282 in MA | — | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Mansfield | — | Mashpee |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Mansfield High | — | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
11.1Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.