Compare towns
Wareham vs Salem 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 the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Salem | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302 |
44,795Highest |
20,323Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
52±1.8 30% 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% |
15.7%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Salem 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 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest 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% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Salem 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 |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
| Bourne and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #272 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Salem | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Salem High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.8Highest |
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.