Compare towns
Barnstable Town vs Mashpee vs Reading
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%).
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Mashpee | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 49,568Highest |
15,384Lowest |
25,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest 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±$6kLowest 12% below MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $602,500±$14k 7% above MA |
$562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$127 9% above MA |
$1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading 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 |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #189 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Barnstable | Mashpee | Reading |
| High school in town | Barnstable High | Mashpee Middle-High School | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
9.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.