Compare towns
Barnet vs Ryegate vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Barnet | Ryegate | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855 |
1,059Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15k 17% below U.S. |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24k 25% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 31% below U.S. |
$908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 44% above U.S. |
$3,472Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnet and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnet and Townsend 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 | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | — | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.