Compare towns
Blackstone vs Cumberland 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 people working from home (17.4%).
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Cumberland | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255 |
36,820Highest |
5,572Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Barre and Cumberland 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% |
23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Cumberland 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% |
44.8%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% |
3.1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Cumberland 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. |
$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Cumberland and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,870Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Cumberland 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% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Cumberland 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 | #18 of 38 in RI | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Cumberland High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
13.6Highest |
12.9Lowest |
| 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.