Compare towns
Barre vs Needham vs Blackstone
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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Blackstone has the most renters (26.8% 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 | Needham | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
32,459Highest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
| Barre and Blackstone 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Blackstone 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Barre and Blackstone 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$94,191±$21kLowest 9% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$404,400±$34k 28% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,189±$85 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Lowest 14% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,703 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #134 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Needham | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Needham High | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.9Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.