Compare towns
Mashpee vs Suffield vs Harwich 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
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Harwich has the most expensive homes ($659k median).
Barnstable Town has the most renters (24.3% rent).
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 | Suffield | Harwich | Barnstable Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,384 |
15,702 |
13,598Lowest |
49,568Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8 44% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
58.6±1.5Highest 51% above U.S. |
49.1±1.9 26% above U.S. |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
11.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstable Town and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Harwich and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 18% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$96,966±$13k 20% above U.S. |
$91,982±$6kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29k 69% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$658,600±$26kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$602,500±$14k 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330 26% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,017±$738Highest 43% above U.S. |
$1,917±$127 36% above U.S. |
| Harwich 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 21% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,189 34% above U.S. |
$3,975 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.6%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnstable Town and Harwich 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Harwich 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #157 of 282 in MA | #189 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Suffield School District | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Barnstable |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Suffield High School | Monomoy Regional High School | Barnstable High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
10.9 |
11.8Highest |
10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.