Compare towns
Bourne vs Reading vs Wareham 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 the most renters (24.2% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Sandwich has the most homeowners (89.2%).
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 | Reading | Wareham | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Lowest |
25,612Highest |
23,302 |
20,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
51.8±1.8 30% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
27.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 12% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$122,486±$12k 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$601,400±$26k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,751±$121 about the MA average |
| Reading and Sandwich 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,483 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
31.9%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #206 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #77 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Reading | Wareham | Sandwich |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Reading Memorial High | Wareham Senior High | Sandwich Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
12.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.