Compare towns
Hanson vs Barre vs Plympton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the most kids (25% under 18).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
Plympton has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Hanson | Barre | Plympton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,927Lowest |
5,572Highest |
2,935 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±4.3 10% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
| Plympton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,211±$24k 15% above MA |
$107,727±$13kLowest 4% above MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
| Plympton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,000±$55k 9% below MA |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
| Plympton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,030±$713Highest 42% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
| Barre and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,429 7% above MA |
$5,163Lowest 14% below MA |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Hanson 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Plympton |
| High school 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.