Compare towns
Barnstable Town vs Danvers vs Gloucester vs Mashpee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstable Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.2%).
Danvers has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
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 | Barnstable Town | Danvers | Gloucester | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 49,568Highest |
28,098 |
30,075 |
15,384Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
50.2±2.3 26% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.1% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,982±$6k 12% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $602,500±$14k 7% above MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
$562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$127 9% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,776±$330 about the MA average |
| Danvers and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 34% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$6,152 about the MA average |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 15% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers and Mashpee 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 | #189 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #164 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Barnstable | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Gloucester | Mashpee |
| High school in town | Barnstable High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Gloucester High | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
12.8Highest |
10.0 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.