What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the highest household income ($108k).

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barre	Webster
People
Population	5,572Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Barre and Webster 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%	19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Webster 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 MA: 47.3%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Webster 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±$13kHighest 4% above MA	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
	Barre and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA	$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA
	Webster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,163Highest 14% below MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Webster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest MA: 10%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	11.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Barre and Webster 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	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Quabbin	Webster
High school in town	Quabbin Regional High School	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.