Compare towns
Wareham vs Brewster vs Bourne vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Brewster has the most people working from home (20.3%).
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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 | Brewster | Bourne | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
10,420 |
20,323 |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
46.5±6Lowest 16% above MA |
| Brewster and Wareham 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% |
13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Highest 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+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 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 |
$103,317±$16k about the MA average |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rochester and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$707,700±$51kHighest 26% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,589±$465Highest 10% below MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
| Brewster and Wareham 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 |
$4,397 27% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$6,530Highest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
85% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Brewster 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 | #160 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Brewster | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.8Highest |
9.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.