Compare towns
Bourne vs Upton vs Westminster vs Salisbury
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Salisbury has the most renters (28.8% rent).
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 | Upton | Westminster | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,374 |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Westminster 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Westminster 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Salisbury 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
$93,361±$6k 10% below MA |
| Upton and Westminster 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Westminster and Salisbury 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
$4,604 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ashburnham-Westminster | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley | Oakmont Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.2 |
13.6Highest |
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| 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.