Compare towns
Wareham vs Epping vs Bourne
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 most affordable homes ($425k median).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Epping | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
7,430Lowest |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 12% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$91,058±$7k 13% above U.S. |
| Epping and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,379±$300Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Wareham 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,485 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±5.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Epping School District | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Epping High School | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.3 |
9.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.