Compare towns
Barre vs Ware vs Upton vs North Brookfield
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
North Brookfield has the most renters (30.7% rent).
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 | Upton | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,572 |
10,048Highest |
8,189 |
4,760Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
| Upton and North Brookfield 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and North Brookfield 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 42% below MA |
$1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$981±$63 44% below MA |
| Ware and Barre 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Upton 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and North Brookfield 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Valley | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.1 |
11.2 |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.