Compare towns
Wareham vs Blackstone vs Bourne vs Somerset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Somerset has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Blackstone | Bourne | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
9,255Lowest |
20,323 |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.2±1.7Lowest 8% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
47±2.2 18% above MA |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Blackstone and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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 MA: 47.3% |
31.9% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$94,191±$21k 9% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$112,677±$6kHighest 8% above MA |
| Somerset and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$404,400±$34kLowest 28% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,189±$85Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,271±$93 28% below MA |
| 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 28% below MA |
$5,703Highest 5% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Blackstone-Millville | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Blackstone Millville RHS | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
13.6Highest |
9.8 |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.