Compare towns

Bourne vs Wareham vs Mashpee

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).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Mashpee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).

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.

MeasureBourneWarehamMashpee
People
Population
20,323
23,302Highest
15,384Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.5%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+6.8%
MA: +7.4%
+7.5%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
52±1.8Lowest
30% above MA
52.1±3.1
30% above MA
55.9±1.8Highest
40% above MA
Mashpee and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.7%±2.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
13.1%±2.4Lowest
MA: 19.4%
14.7%±2.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
29.8%±3.1
MA: 17.9%
26.2%±3.9Lowest
MA: 17.9%
33.1%±2.9Highest
MA: 17.9%
Mashpee 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
MA: 47.3%
27.1%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
44.3%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.6%±1.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
5.6%±1.5
MA: 7.9%
4.5%±1.4Lowest
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
$90,383±$11kLowest
13% below MA
$95,299±$13kHighest
8% below MA
Mashpee and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$575,600±$28kHighest
about the MA average
$424,500±$21kLowest
24% below MA
$562,200±$29k
about the MA average
Bourne and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,379±$300Lowest
22% below MA
$1,504±$180
15% below MA
$1,776±$330Highest
about the MA average
Mashpee and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,485Highest
25% below MA
$4,341
28% below MA
$3,762Lowest
37% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.8%±5.5Highest
MA: 51.8%
51.4%±23.3
MA: 51.8%
44.7%±14.5Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.2%
MA: 10%
6.7%Highest
MA: 10%
5.5%Lowest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.8%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
83.5%Highest
MA: 62.5%
81.9%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
11 yrs newer than MA
1958Lowest
6 yrs older than MA
1988Highest
24 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minLowest
11% below MA
28 minHighest
5% below MA
27 min
6% below MA
Work from home
14.9%±3.1Highest
MA: 18.6%
12.4%±3.6Lowest
MA: 18.6%
14.5%±3
MA: 18.6%
Bourne and Mashpee 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 #272 of 282 in MA #100 of 282 in MA
School district Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical Wareham Mashpee
High school in town Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical Wareham Senior High Mashpee Middle-High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.8Highest
8.6Lowest
9.6
On TownTapestry
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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.