Compare towns
Wareham vs Upton vs Mendon 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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Bourne has the most renters (24.2% rent).
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 | Upton | Mendon | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,302Highest |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
20,323 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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 13% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
| Upton and Mendon 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
| Mendon and Upton 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
| Mendon 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Mendon 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.