What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

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	Rochester	Bourne
People
Population	5,837Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.5±6Lowest 16% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
	Bourne and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Rochester and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	46%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA	$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average
	Rochester and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA
	Rochester and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,530Highest 9% above MA	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%	6.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.1%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	37 minHighest 25% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne and Rochester 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	#104 of 282 in MA	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	9.1Lowest	9.8Highest
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.