Compare towns
Barre vs Douglas vs Thompson
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 renters (24.2% rent).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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 | Douglas | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
9,207 |
9,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 27% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Thompson 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Quabbin | Douglas | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Douglas High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
7.2Lowest |
7.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.