Compare towns
Barnstable Town vs Gloucester vs Upton
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%).
Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Gloucester | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 49,568Highest |
30,075 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% 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%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,982±$6k 12% below MA |
$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $602,500±$14kHighest 7% above MA |
$600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| 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±$94 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,152 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest 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% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 15% below MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #189 of 282 in MA | #164 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Barnstable | Gloucester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Barnstable High | Gloucester High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
10.0Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.