What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gloucester has the most renters (36.1% rent).

Barnstable Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gloucester	Barnstable Town
People
Population	30,075Lowest	49,568Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA	49.1±1.9Lowest 23% above MA
	Gloucester and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	26.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Gloucester and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	42.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA	$91,982±$6kHighest 12% below MA
	Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA	$602,500±$14kHighest 7% above MA
	Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA	$1,917±$127Highest 9% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,152Highest about the MA average	$3,975Lowest 34% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Barnstable Town and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Highest MA: 10%	7.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 18% below MA	25 minHighest 15% below MA
Work from home	12.7%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%	12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Gloucester and Barnstable Town 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	#164 of 282 in MA	#189 of 282 in MA
School district	Gloucester	Barnstable
High school in town	Gloucester High	Barnstable High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Lowest	10.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.