Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Whately vs Wareham 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%).
Whately has the most kids (16.4% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($736k 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 | Whately | Wareham | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909 |
1,499Lowest |
23,302Highest |
1,806 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
49.3±6.7Lowest 23% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
61.2±3.5Highest 53% above MA |
| Bourne 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%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
6.1%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Whately and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne 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% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$97,847±$32k 6% below MA |
| Whately 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 |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$735,500±$156kHighest 31% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
— |
| Wareham 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 |
$5,027Highest 16% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,835 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.6%±20.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
12.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
81.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±20.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Whately 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 | — | — | #272 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Whately | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.