Compare towns
Bourne vs Millis vs Salisbury 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).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Millis | Salisbury | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
8,888Lowest |
9,281 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
46.4±3Lowest 16% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% 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% |
18.4%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Millis 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% |
23.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 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% MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Millis and Bourne 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 |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Millis and Salisbury 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 |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salisbury and Millis 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Millis | Triton | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Millis High School | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.7Highest |
— | 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.