Compare towns
Mashpee vs Upton vs Harwich 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 affordable homes ($562k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Harwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Upton | Harwich | Barnstable Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,384 |
8,189Lowest |
13,598 |
49,568Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
42.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest 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±$13k 8% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$96,966±$13k 7% below MA |
$91,982±$6kLowest 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$658,600±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$602,500±$14k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,776±$330 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,017±$738Highest 14% above MA |
$1,917±$127 9% above MA |
| 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 37% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,189 30% below MA |
$3,975 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.8% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA | #189 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mashpee | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Barnstable |
| High school in town | Mashpee Middle-High School | Blackstone Valley | Monomoy Regional High School | Barnstable High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.2 |
11.8Highest |
10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.