Compare towns
Bourne vs Middleborough 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 most expensive homes ($576k median).
Middleborough has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Middleborough | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Lowest |
24,505Highest |
23,302 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% 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% |
18.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Middleborough 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%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 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% |
32% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 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 |
$97,056±$7kHighest 7% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Middleborough 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 |
$468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,706±$72Highest 3% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Middleborough 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 |
$6,023Highest about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Middleborough 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% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Middleborough 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 | #170 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Middleborough | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Middleborough High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
11.3Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.