What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most renters (24.2% rent).

Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).

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.

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

Measure	Barre	Suffield
People
Population	5,572Lowest	15,702Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S.	44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S.
	Suffield 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%	16.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Suffield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Barre and Suffield 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 U.S.: 35.7%	40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Barre and Suffield 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 33% above U.S.	$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S.
	Suffield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S.	$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S.
	Suffield 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 27% below U.S.	$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average
	Suffield 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.	$6,456Highest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51%±4.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Suffield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 37% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Suffield 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	#57 of 149 in CT
School district	Quabbin	Suffield School District
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	Suffield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.9Lowest
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.