Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Mashpee 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%).
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
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 | Mashpee | Bourne | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909Lowest |
15,384 |
20,323Highest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
| Mashpee 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% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Mashpee 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+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$95,299±$13kHighest 8% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
| Mashpee 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 |
$562,200±$29k about the MA average |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
| Bourne and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
| Mashpee 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 |
$3,762 37% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$5,092Highest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% MA: 10% |
5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #100 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Mashpee | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Mashpee Middle-High School | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
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.