Compare towns
Bourne vs Mashpee vs Buzzards Bay 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Mashpee | Buzzards Bay | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
15,384 |
2,909Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% 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%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 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 |
$95,299±$13kHighest 8% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Mashpee 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 |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Bourne and Mashpee 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 |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Mashpee 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 |
$3,762 37% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 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% |
5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | — | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Mashpee | — | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Mashpee Middle-High School | — | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
9.6 |
— | 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.