Compare towns
Barre vs Ware vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Ware | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
10,048Highest |
8,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
| Barre and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
| Barre and Brooklyn 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. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.