Compare towns
Blackstone vs Bow 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
Blackstone has the most renters (26.8% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Blackstone | Bow | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255Highest |
8,335 |
5,572Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 83% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,163Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Bow School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Bow High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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.