The Town FilesBarre, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 5,530 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $394,300
- Household income
- $107,727
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 43.8
Barre is a town of 5,530 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $394,300, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of Massachusetts towns.
How Barre ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Barre is worth $394,300, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $107,727, which is more affordable than 84% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,030 a month. 75.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Barre | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $394,300 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,030 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $107,727 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 75.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Barre
| People | Barre | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Barre
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 12.8°F. About 47.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.4 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Barre since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 9, 1953 about 2.3 miles from the town center and killed 90. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 92 deaths and 1,234 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 23, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 30, 1960.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Barre itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Barre
3 public schools with 1,475 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quabbin Regional High School | 9-12 | 567 | 13.2 |
| Quabbin Regional Middle School | 6-8 | 527 | 15.5 |
| Ruggles Lane | PK-5 | 381 | 14.7 |
Towns near Barre
- Hardwick, MA7.0 mi · 2,667 people · home $346,700
- Rutland, MA7.6 mi · 9,049 people · home $462,800
- Hubbardston, MA7.7 mi · 4,328 people · home $371,600
- Templeton, MA10.2 mi · 8,149 people · home $358,500
- North Brookfield, MA10.7 mi · 4,735 people · home $359,100
- West Brookfield, MA11.5 mi · 3,833 people · home $354,000
- Paxton, MA11.5 mi · 5,004 people · home $472,300
- Princeton, MA12.2 mi · 3,495 people · home $520,500
Barre questions
Is Barre, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Barre scores better for retirees than 9% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 62%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Barre?
The median owner-occupied home in Barre is valued at $394,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,727, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,030 a month.
What is the weather like in Barre?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 12.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.7 inches of precipitation a year and 60.4 inches of snow.
Does Barre get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Barre since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)