Compare towns
Sherborn vs Bourne vs Carlisle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sherborn has the most people working from home (49.1%).
Bourne has the most affordable homes ($576k median).
Carlisle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
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.
| Measure | Sherborn | Bourne | Carlisle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,427Lowest |
20,323Highest |
5,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.3±3.1 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.4%±5.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Sherborn and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 82.3% MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
87.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,026,800±$72k 83% above MA |
$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
$1,103,900±$46kHighest 96% above MA |
| Carlisle and Sherborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$316Highest 33% above MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,313±$855Lowest 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±26.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
77%±21.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Carlisle and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 49.1%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
38.5%±8.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Sherborn and Carlisle 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 | #53 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #24 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sherborn | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Carlisle |
| 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.