Compare towns
Barre vs Oakham vs Reading
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 renters (24.2% rent).
Oakham has the oldest population (median age 49).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Oakham | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572 |
1,639Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
49±2.3Highest 23% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Oakham 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% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Oakham 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% |
21.4%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Oakham and Reading 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% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Oakham 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 4% above MA |
$102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 14% below MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Barre and Oakham 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #134 of 282 in MA | — | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.