Compare towns
Dennis vs Reading vs Bourne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dennis has the oldest population (median age 59.5).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Bourne has the most affordable homes ($576k 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 | Dennis | Reading | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,868Lowest |
25,612Highest |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.5±2Highest 49% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Dennis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,154±$10kLowest 15% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,100±$28k 12% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$260 19% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,877Lowest 52% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±9.9 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Dennis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #238 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dennis-Yarmouth | Reading | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.