Compare towns
Mashpee vs Barre vs Popponesset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
Popponesset has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Mashpee | Barre | Popponesset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,384Highest |
5,572 |
563Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
45.3±25 13% above MA |
| Mashpee and Popponesset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
5.9%±7.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Barre and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24%±12.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Mashpee and Popponesset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.1%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,299±$13kLowest 8% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$102,357±$54k about the MA average |
| Barre and Popponesset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29k about the MA average |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
$720,900±$324kHighest 28% above MA |
| Popponesset and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
— |
| Mashpee and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,200 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±35.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.6%±33.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Popponesset and Mashpee 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mashpee | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Quabbin Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.