Compare towns
Bourne vs Wareham vs West Wareham
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 the most homeowners (83.5%).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k 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 | West Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323 |
23,302Highest |
2,257Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
| West Wareham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| West Wareham and Bourne 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%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Wareham 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% MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7Lowest 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±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
| Bourne and Wareham 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 |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% 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 | $4,485 25% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,765Highest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham and Bourne 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham and Bourne 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 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.