Compare towns
Rowe vs Bourne vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Rowe | Bourne | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453Lowest |
20,323Highest |
630 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Lowest 22% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
| Peru and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±8.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±6.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
| Bourne and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41k 51% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
— |
| Bourne and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$3,805 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Peru 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 | Rowe | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | — |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.