What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has the most homeowners (75.8%).

Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bourne	Salem
People
Population	20,323Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.7%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Salem 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 MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Salem 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±$7kHighest 12% below MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
	Bourne and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average	$542,800±$18kLowest 3% below MA
	Bourne and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA	$6,114Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#206 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Salem
High school in town	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8	9.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.