Compare towns
Wareham vs Alstead vs Bourne vs Marion
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Wareham | Alstead | Bourne | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
1,551Lowest |
20,323 |
5,310 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
52±1.8Lowest 34% above U.S. |
53.8±4 38% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Marion and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Marion and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$91,058±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$575,600±$28k 73% above U.S. |
$653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
— | $1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$5,322 71% above U.S. |
$4,485 44% above U.S. |
$5,766Highest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±5.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marion and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
76% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marion and Bourne 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #206 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.