Compare towns
Gloucester vs Upton vs Bourne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
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 | Gloucester | Upton | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,075Highest |
8,189Lowest |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3 26% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
| Bourne and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
| Gloucester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94Highest 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
| Gloucester and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Blackstone Valley | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
11.2Highest |
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.