Compare towns
Barre vs Georgetown vs Harvard
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 most affordable homes ($394k median).
Georgetown has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Georgetown | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
8,474Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Barre and Georgetown 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% |
56.1% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13kLowest 4% above MA |
$151,595±$23k 46% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$651,200±$23k 16% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Georgetown and Harvard 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 |
$7,272 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Georgetown 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% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #134 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Georgetown | Harvard |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Georgetown High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.