Compare towns
Bourne vs Wareham vs Windsor 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 most renters (24.2% rent).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Sandwich has the most kids (17.3% under 18).
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 | Windsor | Sandwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
23,302Highest |
1,065Lowest |
20,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
51.8±1.8 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Bourne 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% |
15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sandwich and Windsor 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% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.5% MA: 47.3% |
51.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1 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 |
$115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$122,486±$12kHighest 18% above MA |
| Sandwich and Windsor 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 |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$389,700±$32kLowest 31% below MA |
$601,400±$26kHighest 7% above MA |
| Sandwich and Bourne 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 |
— | $1,751±$121Highest about the MA average |
| Sandwich and Wareham 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 |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$6,483Highest 8% above 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% |
31.9%±13.7 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% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor 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 | — | #77 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham | — | Sandwich |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | — | Sandwich Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
8.6Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| 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.