Compare towns
Bourne vs Wareham vs Wolfeboro vs Buzzards Bay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
Wolfeboro has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
23,302Highest |
6,571 |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 34% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
54.4±5.9 40% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bourne and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
32.3%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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 13% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$94,388±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60k 64% above U.S. |
$454,500±$28k 37% above U.S. |
| Bourne and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,484±$601 5% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 44% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
$4,531Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,405Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Buzzards Bay 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | Kingswood Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
8.6Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.