Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Hull vs Bourne vs Brookfield
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%).
Hull has the highest household income ($115k).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k 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 | Hull | Bourne | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909Lowest |
10,138 |
20,323Highest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
| Hull and Buzzards Bay 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% |
11.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Brookfield 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% |
26.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7 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% |
50.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2 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 | $94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
| Hull and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$646,000±$38kHighest 15% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
| Hull and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$6,089Highest about the MA average |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hull 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 | — | #66 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hull | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Hull High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.8Lowest |
9.8Highest |
— |
| 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.