Compare towns
Barre vs Townsend vs Wakefield
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).
Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Townsend | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
9,100 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Barre and Wakefield 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%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Wakefield 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Townsend 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 |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Lowest 14% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #134 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | North Middlesex | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | North Middlesex Regional | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.