Compare towns
Blackstone vs Sharon vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blackstone has the shortest commute (34 min average).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Sharon | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255 |
18,574Highest |
5,572Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
42.5±1Lowest 6% above MA |
43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sharon 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 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Sharon 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 9% below MA |
$191,835±$19kHighest 85% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34k 28% below MA |
$737,100±$33kHighest 31% above MA |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85 33% below MA |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 5% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,163Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 16% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #207 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Sharon | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Sharon High | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.