Compare towns
Bourne vs Middlefield vs Wareham vs Kingston
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 renters (24.2% rent).
Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Kingston has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
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 | Wareham | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
352Lowest |
23,302Highest |
14,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
46.5±3.9Lowest 16% above MA |
| Middlefield 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 MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Kingston 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%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.8%±3.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Middlefield 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% |
31.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$103,750±$23k about the MA average |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$119,876±$13kHighest 15% above MA |
| Kingston and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
| Kingston 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 22% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
| Middlefield 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 |
$4,926 18% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13Lowest 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
81.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | Wareham | Kingston · Silver Lake |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | Wareham Senior High | Silver Lake Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | 8.6Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.