Compare towns
Wareham vs Buzzards Bay vs Fairhaven vs Bourne
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 homeowners (83.5%).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Fairhaven has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Fairhaven | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
2,909Lowest |
15,903 |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven 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% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bourne 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% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay 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±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
| Wareham and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341 28% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,566 40% below MA |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay 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 | — | #126 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | — | Fairhaven | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | — | Fairhaven High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
9.8 |
| 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.