Compare towns

Mashpee vs Rowe 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 most people working from home (14.5%).
Rowe has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
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.

MeasureMashpeeRoweBarnstable Town
People
Population
15,384
453Lowest
49,568Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.5%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
—
+8.2%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
55.9±1.8Highest
40% above MA
48.9±6.4Lowest
22% above MA
49.1±1.9
23% above MA
Kids under 18
14.7%±2.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
23%±5Highest
MA: 19.4%
17.2%±1.6
MA: 19.4%
Rowe and Barnstable Town 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%
30.2%±8.1
MA: 17.9%
26.8%±1.8Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Mashpee and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.3%Highest
MA: 47.3%
26.2%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
42.1%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1.4
MA: 7.9%
3.3%±2Lowest
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±$13kHighest
8% below MA
$69,583±$13kLowest
33% below MA
$91,982±$6k
12% below MA
Mashpee and Barnstable Town 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
$275,000±$41kLowest
51% below MA
$602,500±$14kHighest
7% above MA
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
about the MA average
$1,313±$576Lowest
25% below MA
$1,917±$127Highest
9% above MA
Barnstable Town and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,762
37% below MA
$1,458Lowest
76% below MA
$3,975Highest
34% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.7%±14.5
MA: 51.8%
11.8%±100Lowest
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%Lowest
MA: 10%
15.8%Highest
MA: 10%
7.4%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.9%
MA: 62.5%
90.8%Highest
MA: 62.5%
75.7%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988Highest
24 yrs newer than MA
1959Lowest
5 yrs older than MA
1978
14 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
6% below MA
36 minHighest
22% above MA
25 minLowest
15% below MA
Work from home
14.5%±3Highest
MA: 18.6%
7.2%±3.8Lowest
MA: 18.6%
12.3%±2.6
MA: 18.6%
Mashpee and Barnstable Town 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 — #189 of 282 in MA
School district Mashpee Rowe Barnstable
High school in town Mashpee Middle-High School None in town Barnstable High
Students per teacherat that high school
9.6Lowest
—
10.6Highest
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.