Compare towns
Mashpee vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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.
| Measure | Mashpee | Reading | Barnstable Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,384Lowest |
25,612 |
49,568Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barnstable Town 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±$13k 8% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$91,982±$6kLowest 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$602,500±$14k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,917±$127 9% above MA |
| Reading and Barnstable Town 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$3,975 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #189 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Reading | Barnstable |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Reading Memorial High | Barnstable High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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.