What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).

Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).

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	Deerfield
People
Population	5,572Highest	5,158Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA	51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA
	Deerfield 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%	13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Barre and Deerfield 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%	22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Deerfield and Barre 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 MA: 47.3%	44.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Deerfield 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	$106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average
	Barre and Deerfield 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	$414,900±$37kHighest 26% below MA
	Deerfield 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	$1,334±$318Highest 24% below MA
	Deerfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Lowest 14% below MA	$5,824Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Highest MA: 51.8%	26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Barre and Deerfield 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%	7.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	78.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	18 minLowest 40% below MA
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Deerfield 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	#156 of 282 in MA
School district	Quabbin	Deerfield · Frontier
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	Frontier Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	11.1Lowest
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.