Compare towns
Barre vs Blackstone vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Barre | Blackstone | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
9,255 |
12,228Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
31.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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 4% above MA |
$94,191±$21k 9% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| 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 30% below MA |
$404,400±$34kHighest 28% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
| 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 42% below MA |
$1,189±$85 33% below MA |
$1,198±$85Highest 32% below MA |
| Webster and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 14% below MA |
$5,703Highest 5% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Blackstone-Millville | — |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Blackstone Millville RHS | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— |
| 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.