Compare towns
Bourne vs Salisbury vs Upton vs Wareham
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).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
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 | Salisbury | Upton | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
9,281 |
8,189Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 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% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 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 |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Upton 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 |
$1,691±$411Highest 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| 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 25% below MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | 11.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.