Compare towns
Deerfield vs Bourne vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Bourne has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Deerfield | Bourne | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158 |
20,323Highest |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
49.7±2.8Lowest 24% above MA |
| Bourne and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Bourne and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
| Berlin and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
| Berlin and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.