What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barnstable Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.2%).

Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barnstable Town	Gloucester
People
Population	49,568Highest	30,075Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±1.9Lowest 23% above MA	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA
	Gloucester and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.2%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Gloucester and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,982±$6kHighest 12% below MA	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA
	Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$602,500±$14kHighest 7% above MA	$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA
	Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,917±$127Highest 9% above MA	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,975Lowest 34% below MA	$6,152Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	55.1%±7.1Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 15% below MA	24 minLowest 18% below MA
Work from home	12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.7%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Gloucester and Barnstable Town 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	#164 of 282 in MA
School district	Barnstable	Gloucester
High school in town	Barnstable High	Gloucester High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Highest	10.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.