The Town FilesBourne, Massachusetts
Town in Barnstable County · population 20,452 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $575,600
- Household income
- $91,058
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 52.0
Bourne is a town of 20,452 people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $575,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Massachusetts towns, more seaside character than 84% of Massachusetts towns, better for a vacation home than 77% of Massachusetts towns.
How Bourne ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bourne is worth $575,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $91,058, which is more affordable than 16% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,379 a month. 75.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bourne | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $575,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,379 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $91,058 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 75.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.0% | — |
Who lives in Bourne
| People | Bourne | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.0 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.0% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Bourne
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 51.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.2 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Bourne since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 26, 2024.
Severe weather in Barnstable County since 1996
Barnstable County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Barnstable County
Barnstable County had 96,280 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,707 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Bourne itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Bourne
4 public schools with 1,960 students, about 9.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | 9-12 | 826 | 9.6 |
| Bourne Middle School | 6-8 | 440 | 9.8 |
| Bourne Intermediate School | 3-5 | 359 | 10.9 |
| Bourne High School | 9-12 | 335 | 9.6 |
Towns near Bourne
- Monument Beach, MA0.4 mi · 2,784 people · home $559,900
- Buzzards Bay, MA2.8 mi · 4,279 people · home $454,500
- Pocasset, MA3.6 mi · 2,843 people · home $709,900
- Forestdale, MA4.8 mi · 4,116 people · home $490,200
- Sagamore, MA5.5 mi · 3,851 people · home $575,700
- Sandwich, MA5.5 mi · 20,259 people · home $601,400
- Sandwich, MA5.6 mi · 2,998 people · home $584,300
- North Falmouth, MA5.6 mi · 3,293 people · home $715,300
Bourne questions
Is Bourne, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bourne scores better for retirees than 57% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 35%. 29.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.0).
How much does a house cost in Bourne?
The median owner-occupied home in Bourne is valued at $575,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,058, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,379 a month.
What is the weather like in Bourne?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.1 inches of precipitation a year and 37.2 inches of snow.
Does Bourne get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Bourne in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)