Compare towns
Bourne vs Wakefield vs Sandwich
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).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Sandwich has the most homeowners (89.2%).
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 | Wakefield | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Lowest |
27,793Highest |
20,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
51.8±1.8 30% above MA |
| Bourne and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Sandwich 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% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$122,486±$12k 18% above MA |
| Wakefield and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$601,400±$26k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,751±$121 about the MA average |
| Wakefield and Sandwich 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 |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,483 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
31.9%±13.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #206 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #77 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Sandwich |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Sandwich Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.7Highest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.