Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Plainfield 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%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 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 | Plainfield | Bourne | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909 |
616Lowest |
20,323Highest |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
-1.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
50.6±9.5 27% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
49±3.2Lowest 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% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±2.5Lowest 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% |
52.6%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% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest 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±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$81,940±$10k 21% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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 |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$332,000±$15k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% 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 |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,516Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.3% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
77.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | — | #206 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Pioneer Valley |
| High school 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.