Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Millis vs Brookfield vs Bourne
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%).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Millis | Brookfield | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909Lowest |
8,888 |
3,460 |
20,323Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
46.4±3Lowest 16% above MA |
52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield 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% |
18.4%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Millis and Bourne 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% |
23.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 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% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 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 |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
| Millis and Bourne 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 |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
| Millis 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 |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Millis 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 | — | #63 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Millis | Brookfield | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Millis High School | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.