What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).

Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).

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	Marblehead
People
Population	5,572Lowest	20,413Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA
	Marblehead 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%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Barre 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%	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marblehead 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%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Barre and Marblehead 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	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA	$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average
	Marblehead 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	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marblehead 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 MA: 10%	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	33 minLowest 13% above MA
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#134 of 282 in MA	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Quabbin	Marblehead
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.7Lowest
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.