Compare towns
Mashpee vs Needham vs Barnstable Town
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).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Needham | Barnstable Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,384Lowest |
32,459 |
49,568Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barnstable Town and Needham 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 8% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$91,982±$6kLowest 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$602,500±$14k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,917±$127 9% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,975 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Barnstable Town and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #189 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Needham | Barnstable |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Needham High | Barnstable High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.9Highest |
10.6 |
| 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.