Compare towns
Bourne vs Wolcott vs Wareham 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 expensive homes ($576k median).
Wolcott has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Wolcott | Wareham | Buzzards Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323 |
16,279 |
23,302Highest |
2,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
44.4±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
54.4±5.9Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wolcott 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Buzzards Bay 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 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. |
$110,850±$10kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$94,388±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Wolcott and Buzzards Bay 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. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$454,500±$28k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,464±$913 4% above U.S. |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above 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. |
$5,799Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,341 39% above U.S. |
$3,405Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Buzzards Bay 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 | #76 of 149 in CT | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wolcott School District | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wolcott High School | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.