Compare towns
Barre vs Williamstown vs North Brookfield
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 highest household income ($108k).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Williamstown | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572Highest |
3,579Lowest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
42±5Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield 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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Williamstown and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and North Brookfield 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% |
17.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Williamstown 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 33% above U.S. |
$94,418±$10k 17% above U.S. |
$79,285±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Barre and Williamstown 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. |
$234,900±$24kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32k 8% above U.S. |
| Barre and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713 27% below U.S. |
$1,659±$189Highest 17% above U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Williamstown and Barre 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. |
$3,841Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,176 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 37% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williamstown 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 | #47 of 70 in VT | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | Williamstown Middle/High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
9.5 |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.