Compare towns
Bourne vs Pelham vs Sandwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Sandwich has the most expensive homes ($601k 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 | Pelham | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
14,449Lowest |
20,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 34% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.8±1.8 33% above U.S. |
| Bourne and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1Lowest 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. |
$122,486±$12k 52% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k 73% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$601,400±$26kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Sandwich 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 about the U.S. average |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,751±$121Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±13.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #206 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH | #77 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Pelham School District | Sandwich |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Pelham High School | Sandwich Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.