Compare towns
Barre vs Bourne vs North Brookfield
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).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
North Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($359k 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 | Bourne | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572 |
20,323Highest |
4,760Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
| Bourne and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| North Brookfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest 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±$7k 12% below MA |
$79,285±$11kLowest 24% 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±$55k 30% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$359,100±$32kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 42% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$981±$63Lowest 44% 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 |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and North Brookfield 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 | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.8 |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.