Compare towns
Bourne vs Wareham vs Worcester
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%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Lowest |
23,302 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% 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 |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Wareham and Worcester 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 |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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 | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
8.6Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.