Compare towns
Bourne vs Nahant 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 kids (14.7% under 18).
Nahant has the most expensive homes ($749k median).
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 | Nahant | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
3,325Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
11%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±6.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Nahant 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% MA: 47.3% |
61.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$112,762±$6kHighest 8% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$748,800±$99kHighest 33% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,777±$334Highest about the MA average |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Nahant 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 |
$6,615Highest 10% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Nahant 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% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
18.7%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Nahant 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 | #129 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Nahant | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | 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.