Compare towns
Wareham vs Sterling 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%).
Sterling has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Sterling | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
8,183Lowest |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
51.5±1.8Lowest 29% above MA |
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% |
18.6%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Sterling 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% |
22.9%±4Lowest 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% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$129,063±$27kHighest 24% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$498,800±$48k 11% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,699±$161Highest 4% below MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
| Sterling and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,757Highest 13% above MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1Lowest 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% |
6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Wachusett | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town | 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.