Compare towns
Barre vs Bow vs Windham vs Blackstone
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 most affordable homes ($394k median).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Blackstone has the most renters (26.8% rent).
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 | Bow | Windham | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
8,335 |
16,038Highest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above 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% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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±$13k 33% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$94,191±$21kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,703 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Bow School District | Windham School District | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Bow High School | Windham High School | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.