What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).

Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k 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.

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

Measure	Barre	Bourne
People
Population	5,572Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
	Bourne and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.8%±5.4Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Barre and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	46%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne 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	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA
	Barre and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA	$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA
	Bourne and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Highest 14% below MA	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest MA: 10%	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8% MA: 62.5%	75.8% MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne 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	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Quabbin	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	9.8Lowest
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.