Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Dunstable vs Bourne vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Bernardston has the most affordable homes ($332k median).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Dunstable | Bourne | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909 |
3,408 |
20,323Highest |
2,164Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
49±3.2 23% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,283±$553Lowest 27% 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 | $3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,516 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
77.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dunstable 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 | — | #4 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Groton-Dunstable | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.