Bourne vs Wareham
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
You are paying about $125k more for a 4BR in Bourne, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $125k for one tier of schooling.
Wareham is about 5 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Wareham works out roughly $500 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR — despite having the higher rate of the two, because the bill follows the house.
Choose Bourne if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Bourne numbers →Choose Wareham if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Wareham numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsBourne ahead on 3 of 8
| Bourne | Wareham | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS achievement | 27th | 24th |
| Student growth | 54th | 50th |
| Graduation rate | 90.4% | 79.4% |
| State accountability | Substantial progress toward targets | Substantial progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $24,159 | $23,687 |
| Schools in the district | 3 | 2 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 2 | 1 |
What a home costsWareham ahead on 6 of 8
| Bourne | Wareham | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $650kT2 | $525kT1 |
| 3BR townhouse | $500k | $395k |
| 2BR condo | $370k | $290k |
| 3BR home | $684k | $518k |
| 5+ BR home | $1.33M | $730k |
| 3BR rent | $3,067/mo | $3,180/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $166k | $137k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.8% a year | 6.7% a year |
What you pay the townEven, 1 each of 4
| Bourne | Wareham | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $7.65T1 | $8.56T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$5,000 | ≈$4,500 |
| Town spending per resident | $4,342 | $3,563 |
| Share of budget on schools | 34% | 47% |
Getting to workWareham ahead on 2 of 3
| Bourne | Wareham | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 88 minT4 | 83 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 50 mi | 45 mi |
Before kindergartenWareham ahead on 3 of 4
| Bourne | Wareham | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 9 | 11 |
| Child care places | 299 | 538 |
| Centers vs family programs | 6 centers | 6 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 32 | 91 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Bourne | Wareham | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,452 | 23,303 |
| Energy | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Compact center | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Family amenities | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Culture | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Gathering places | 7/10 | 6/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
