Compare towns
Barre vs Rowe vs North Brookfield
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).
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
North Brookfield has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Rowe | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Highest |
453Lowest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
48.9±6.4Highest 22% above MA |
45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
| Rowe and North Brookfield 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% |
23%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and North Brookfield 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% |
30.2%±8.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe 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% |
26.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and North Brookfield 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 |
$69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA |
$275,000±$41kLowest 51% below MA |
$359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
| Barre and North Brookfield 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 |
$1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$981±$63Lowest 44% below MA |
| Rowe 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 |
$1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$4,176 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Brookfield 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 MA: 10% |
15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
12.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
36 minLowest 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| North Brookfield 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 | — | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Rowe | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 5.5Lowest |
| 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.