Compare towns
Blackstone vs Pascoag 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%).
Pascoag has the highest household income ($121k).
Barre has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Pascoag | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255Highest |
4,410Lowest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
39.1±3.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
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%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Blackstone and Pascoag 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% |
21%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pascoag and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Blackstone 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. |
$121,369±$34kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Pascoag 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±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$365,000±$47kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
| Blackstone and Barre 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. |
$1,319±$444Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Pascoag 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. |
$4,395Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±27.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 28% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Barre 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 | — | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | — | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 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.