Compare towns
Barre vs Springfield vs Worcester vs Blackstone
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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Springfield | Worcester | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
154,749 |
207,055Highest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
| Barre and Blackstone 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% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$94,191±$21k 9% below MA |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$404,400±$34kHighest 28% below MA |
| Blackstone and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,189±$85 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 14% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$5,703Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #134 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Springfield | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Springfield Central High | South High Community | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.2Lowest |
14.6Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.