Compare towns
Wareham vs Lee vs Bourne vs Marion
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1958).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Bourne has the youngest population (median age 52).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Lee | Bourne | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
5,719 |
20,323 |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
53.8±4 35% above MA |
| Lee and Marion 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% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marion and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Lee 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% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion 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±$11k 13% below MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% 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 | $4,341 28% below MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion 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% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older 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 |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Lee | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Lee Middle/High School | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.2 |
9.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.