Compare towns
Barre vs Blackstone vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Barre | Blackstone | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
9,255 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Blackstone and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Blackstone and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Barre 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Quabbin | Blackstone-Millville | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Blackstone Millville RHS | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
13.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.