What stands out worked out from the figures below

Phillipston has the most affordable homes ($372k median).

Bourne has the most people working from home (14.9%).

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	Phillipston	Bourne
People
Population	1,895Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.8±1.7Lowest 22% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
	Bourne and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17%±5Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Phillipston and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	46%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,692±$14kHighest 9% below MA	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
	Phillipston and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$372,400±$27kLowest 34% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$849Lowest 22% below MA	$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA
	Bourne and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,914Lowest 35% below MA	$4,485Highest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Phillipston and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%	6.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne and Phillipston 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	—	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	—	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.8
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.