Compare towns
Wareham vs Dunstable 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%).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Somerset has the most affordable homes ($419k 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 | Dunstable | Bourne | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
3,408Lowest |
20,323 |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% 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% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable 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% |
15%±2.6Lowest 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% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable 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 |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$418,800±$18kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,271±$93Lowest 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 |
$9,020Highest 51% above 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% |
60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dunstable 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Groton-Dunstable | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.8 |
11.6Highest |
| 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.