Compare towns
Avon vs Bow vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Avon has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k 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 | Avon | Bow | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,774Lowest |
8,335Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±4Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Barre and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Avon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,625±$33k 62% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13kLowest 33% above U.S. |
| Bow and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,600±$62kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Avon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$265Highest 10% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Avon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,627 112% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,163Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.3%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Avon and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #212 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Avon | Bow School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Avon Middle High School | Bow High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
12.8 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.