Compare towns
Barre vs Ware vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Ware | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Lowest |
10,048Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Sutton 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA |
| Sutton and Ware 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #134 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Sutton |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.6 |
| 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.