What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).

Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bourne	Pelham
People
Population	20,323Highest	14,449Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52±1.8Highest 34% above U.S.	41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bourne and Pelham 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 13% above U.S.	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S.	$552,600±$27kLowest 66% above U.S.
	Bourne and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$300Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average
	Pelham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,485Lowest 44% above U.S.	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pelham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	14.9%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#206 of 282 in MA	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Pelham School District
High school in town	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	10.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.