Compare towns
Princeton vs Bourne vs Hubbardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Hubbardston has the most affordable homes ($372k 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 | Princeton | Bourne | Hubbardston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,529Lowest |
20,323Highest |
4,371 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.1±7Lowest 15% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
46.8±9.1 17% above MA |
| Bourne and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Princeton and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
33.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,750±$46kHighest 53% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$123,500±$24k 19% above MA |
| Princeton and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$371,600±$18kLowest 34% below MA |
| Bourne and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$953±$206 46% below MA |
| Bourne and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,633Highest 11% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$4,716 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
55.4%±67.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #59 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #128 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.