Compare towns
Barre vs Mendon vs Windsor Locks vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
North Brookfield has the most renters (30.7% 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 | Mendon | Windsor Locks | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,572 |
6,325 |
12,579Highest |
4,760Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Windsor Locks 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and North Brookfield 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% |
46.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Windsor Locks 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. |
$132,256±$33kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$79,285±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Mendon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 27% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 66% above U.S. |
$7,213Highest 131% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,176 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 37% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Mendon-Upton | Windsor Locks School District | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 8.9 |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.