Compare towns
Wareham vs Pelham vs Bourne vs Marion
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).
Pelham has the most kids (22% under 18).
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Marion has the most expensive homes ($654k 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 | Pelham | Bourne | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
14,449 |
20,323 |
5,310Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 34% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
52±1.8 34% above U.S. |
53.8±4Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Marion 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 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Marion 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Marion 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$91,058±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Marion and Pelham 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. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$575,600±$28k 73% above U.S. |
$653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Wareham and Pelham 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. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,485 44% above U.S. |
$5,766 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.8%±5.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marion and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Marion 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #206 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Pelham School District | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Marion |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Pelham High School | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.4Highest |
9.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.