Compare towns
Bourne vs Meredith vs Wareham vs Sandwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Sandwich has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Meredith | Wareham | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
6,758Lowest |
23,302Highest |
20,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
51.8±1.8Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sandwich and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 13% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
$122,486±$12kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k 73% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$601,400±$26kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Sandwich and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,751±$121Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Sandwich and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 44% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #206 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH | #272 of 282 in MA | #77 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Wareham | Sandwich |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Inter-Lakes High School | Wareham Senior High | Sandwich Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
11.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.