What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).

Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).

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	Townsend
People
Population	20,323Highest	9,100Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Townsend 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 12% below MA	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA
	Townsend and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA	$6,031Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Townsend 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%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	37 minHighest 27% above MA
Work from home	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne and Townsend 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	#136 of 282 in MA
School district	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	North Middlesex
High school in town	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical	North Middlesex Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	13.1Highest
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.