Compare towns
Wareham vs Peru 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
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 | Peru | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
630Lowest |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
52±1.8Lowest 30% above MA |
| Peru 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Peru 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% |
29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Peru 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% |
28% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 13% below MA |
$90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
| Bourne and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
— | $1,379±$300Lowest 22% 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 |
$3,805Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Wareham 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 | — | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | — | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | — | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.