Compare towns
Bourne vs Sutton 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 most renters (24.2% rent).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 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% |
52.8% 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% |
3.9%±1.8 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 |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$523,100±$47k 7% 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 |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham and Bourne 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 |
$6,763 13% above 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% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 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 |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
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.