Compare towns
Bellingham vs Pomfret vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most people working from home (18%).
Pomfret has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
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 | Bellingham | Pomfret | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325 |
4,317Lowest |
5,572Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 13% above U.S. |
45.9±3.7Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pomfret and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pomfret and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,763±$14kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$108,476±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$409,100±$28k 23% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Bellingham and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 42% above U.S. |
$1,210±$300 14% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bellingham and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bellingham and Pomfret 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 | #232 of 282 in MA | #39 of 149 in CT | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Pomfret School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
| 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.