What stands out worked out from the figures below

Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).

Barre has the highest household income ($108k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Spencer	Barre
People
Population	12,008Highest	5,572Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA	43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA
	Spencer and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%	15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Spencer and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9%	19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Spencer and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	31.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Barre and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA	$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA	$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA
	Barre and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,078±$161Highest 39% below MA	$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA
	Spencer and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,387Lowest 27% below MA	$5,163Highest 14% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%	38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Spencer and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Highest MA: 10%	8.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 18% above MA	36 minHighest 24% above MA
Work from home	15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6%	11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Spencer and Barre 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	#261 of 282 in MA	#134 of 282 in MA
School district	Spencer-E Brookfield	Quabbin
High school in town	David Prouty High	Quabbin Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Lowest	12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.