What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).

Bourne has the most expensive 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middleborough	Bourne
People
Population	24,505Highest	20,323Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	18.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Middleborough and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32%Lowest MA: 47.3%	46%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,056±$7kHighest 7% below MA	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
	Middleborough and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,706±$72Highest 3% below MA	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA
	Middleborough and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,023Highest about the MA average	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.2%±11.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2% MA: 10%	6.2% MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne and Middleborough 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	#170 of 282 in MA	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Middleborough	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Middleborough High	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.