Compare towns
Wareham vs Worcester 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 homeowners (83.5%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester | Bourne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,302 |
207,055Highest |
20,323Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest 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% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% 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±$21k 24% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
| Wareham and Worcester 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 |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wareham | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Wareham Senior High | South High Community | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
14.6Highest |
9.8 |
| 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.