Compare towns
Bourne vs West Wareham vs Buzzards Bay
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).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
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 | West Wareham | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
2,257Lowest |
2,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.8% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
| West Wareham 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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest 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%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| West Wareham 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 MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 12% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay 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 |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
— | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay 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 |
$4,765Highest 20% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest 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% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.