Compare towns
Bourne vs Wareham vs Washington
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 expensive homes ($576k median).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Washington has the most affordable homes ($371k median).
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 | Wareham | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
23,302Highest |
526Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
56.5±7.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Washington 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% |
13.3%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$95,278±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
| Washington 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±$21k 24% below MA |
$370,700±$32kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
— |
| Wareham and Bourne 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,381 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
92.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Washington 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 | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.