Compare towns
Bourne vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Mashpee
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).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Mashpee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Northbridge | Upton | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
15,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Mashpee 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
| Upton 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 |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
| Mashpee 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 |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mashpee |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.8 |
11.2Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.