Compare towns
Mashpee vs Bow vs Barnstable Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Barnstable Town has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Bow | Barnstable Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,384 |
8,335Lowest |
49,568Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8Highest 44% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.1±1.9 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,299±$13k 18% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$91,982±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29k 69% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$602,500±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330 26% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,917±$127Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,975 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.6%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #189 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Bow School District | Barnstable |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Bow High School | Barnstable High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.