Compare towns
Bourne vs Peru vs Buzzards Bay vs Kingston
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).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Kingston has the highest household income ($120k).
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 | Peru | Buzzards Bay | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
630Lowest |
2,909 |
14,027 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.6±4.8 32% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
46.5±3.9Lowest 16% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Peru 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% |
16.3%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Kingston and Peru 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% |
29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.8%±3.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay 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% |
28%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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 |
$90,750±$18kLowest 13% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$119,876±$13kHighest 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
| Kingston 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 |
— | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay 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 |
$3,805 36% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | — | #99 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | — | Kingston · Silver Lake |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | — | Silver Lake Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | — | 12.0Highest |
| 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.