Compare towns
Barre vs Millis vs Shirley
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).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Millis | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
8,888Highest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
| Millis and Shirley 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% |
18.4%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Millis and Shirley 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% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Shirley 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% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley 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±$13kLowest 4% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$122,365±$16k 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$427,600±$36k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
| Millis and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 14% below MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Shirley and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shirley and Millis 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Millis | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Millis High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.