Compare towns
Bourne vs Putnam vs Wareham vs Salisbury
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 expensive homes ($576k median).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Putnam | Wareham | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
9,292 |
23,302Highest |
9,281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Putnam and Bourne 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% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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 13% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 44% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
$4,604Highest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Bourne 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #272 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Putnam School District | Wareham | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Putnam High School | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
9.5 |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.