Compare towns
Bourne vs Middlefield vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k 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 | Middlefield | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
352Lowest |
630 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
52.6±4.8 32% above MA |
| Middlefield and Peru 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% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Peru 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% |
28.7%±8.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Peru 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% |
31.8% MA: 47.3% |
28%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Peru 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 |
$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$90,750±$18kLowest 13% below MA |
| Middlefield 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 |
$332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
— |
| Middlefield and Bourne 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 |
$4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$3,805Lowest 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Middlefield 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.