Compare towns
Bourne vs Salem vs Buzzards Bay
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).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Salem | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
44,795Highest |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay 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% |
15.7%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest 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%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest 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% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Salem 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 |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay 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 about the MA average |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% 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 |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
| Salem and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest 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% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Salem 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 | #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 | 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.