What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the highest household income ($108k).

Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barre	Reading
People
Population	5,572Highest	699Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S.	51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S.
	Reading 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 U.S.: 22%	18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Reading and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	46%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Barre and Reading 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 33% above U.S.	$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S.
	Barre and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S.	$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S.
	Barre and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S.	$1,100±$331Highest 22% below U.S.
	Reading and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Lowest 66% above U.S.	$5,754Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Reading and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	33 minLowest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Reading 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	—
School district	Quabbin	Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76
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

U.S. 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.