Compare towns
Barre vs Townsend vs Wareham vs Hubbardston
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 renters (24.2% rent).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Hubbardston has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Wareham | Hubbardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,572 |
9,100 |
23,302Highest |
4,371Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
46.8±9.1 17% above MA |
| Wareham and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Hubbardston 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Hubbardston 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% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
33.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$123,500±$24kHighest 19% above MA |
| Hubbardston 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±$55k 30% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$371,600±$18kLowest 34% below MA |
| Townsend and Wareham 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 |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$953±$206Lowest 46% below MA |
| Wareham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163 14% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,716 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.4%±67.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hubbardston and Wareham 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
93.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Hubbardston and Wareham 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #128 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | North Middlesex | Wareham | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | North Middlesex Regional | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
13.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
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| 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.