Compare towns
Bourne vs Plainfield vs Windsor vs Sandwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Windsor has the youngest population (median age 44.8).
Sandwich has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Plainfield | Windsor | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
616Lowest |
1,065 |
20,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
51.8±1.8 30% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield 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 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Plainfield 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% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Plainfield 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$122,486±$12kHighest 18% above MA |
| Sandwich and Windsor 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 |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$601,400±$26kHighest 7% above MA |
| 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±$300 22% below MA |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
— | $1,751±$121Highest about the MA average |
| Sandwich 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 |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$6,483Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
31.9%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
96.2% MA: 62.5% |
89.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | — | — | #77 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | — | Sandwich |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | — | Sandwich Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | — | 10.7Highest |
| 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.