Compare towns
Bourne vs Thompson vs Buzzards Bay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Thompson | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
9,337 |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 34% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2 39% above U.S. |
54.4±5.9Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bourne and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
32.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Buzzards Bay 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±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$94,388±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$454,500±$28k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,484±$601Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Highest 44% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
$3,405Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bourne and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Thompson School District | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
7.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.