Compare towns
Barre vs Orange vs Ware
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 highest household income ($108k).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
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 | Orange | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
7,573Highest |
6,369 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
| Barre and Orange 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% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$55,824±$10k 46% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 42% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,039±$104Highest 41% below MA |
| Ware and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Barre 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.