Compare towns
Erving vs Barre vs Gill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Gill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Erving | Barre | Gill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,703Lowest |
5,572Highest |
1,740 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.4Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±8.5Highest 9% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±8.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Gill and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,656±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$90,208±$14k 13% below MA |
| Barre and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA |
$340,100±$17k 39% below MA |
| Barre and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$213 34% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,193±$246Highest 32% below MA |
| Gill and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,318 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±23 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gill 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 | — | #134 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Erving | Quabbin | Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.