Compare towns
Barre vs Pelham vs Whately
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).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Pelham | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Highest |
1,335Lowest |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately and Pelham 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% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Whately 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% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Whately 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Whately 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 |
$113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
| Whately and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
| Pelham and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 42% below MA |
$1,205±$560Highest 32% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Pelham and Barre 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 |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Pelham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Whately 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 | — | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Pelham | Whately |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town | 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.