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Barre Town Hall on the town common in Barre, Massachusetts.

Living in Barre, Massachusetts

Barre is a town in Worcester County, first settled in 1720 and incorporated in 1774. It sits at the edge of the North Quabbin region, drained by the Ware River, with a town common ringed by 19th-century buildings at its center.

Barre centerSouth Barre

By James Allen, NMLS 1216446 · Updated

Photo: Pvmoutside, Public domain

Barre at a glance

Barre's villages and zip codes

Barre center uses ZIP 01005; South Barre uses 01074. The village of Oakham, a separate town, uses 01068.

Barre villages and zip codes
AreaZip codeWhere it is
Barre center01005The town common area along Common Street and West Street, where Town Hall and the library sit.
South Barre01074A village along the Ware River south of the town center.

Things to do in Barre, MA

Start with Barre Falls Dam and Barre Common, then 3 more below.

  1. Barre Falls Dam

    A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood-control dam on the Ware River, built 1956-1958 to reduce flooding along the Ware, Chicopee and Connecticut rivers. The surrounding reservoir land has trails and is reached from Route 62.

    FreeYear-round

    Off Route 62, Barre

  2. Barre Common

    The town's central green, ringed by Town Hall and 19th-century buildings, used for town gatherings.

    FreeYear-round

    Common Street, Barre, MA 01005

  3. Woods Memorial Library

    The town's public library.

    FreeYear-round

    19 Pleasant Street, Barre, MA 01005

    Plan a visit

  4. Barre Historical Society & Museum

    A local history museum run by the Barre Historical Society.

    Historic

    Barre

  5. Insight Meditation Society

    A Buddhist meditation retreat center founded in 1975, operating the Retreat Center and the Forest Refuge in Barre. The affiliated Barre Center for Buddhist Studies is on adjoining land.

    Year-round

    Barre

More worth a visit

  • Barre Players TheaterA community theater group in town.
  • The Cross geoglyphA large hillside cross and small park in Barre.

A little history

Originally the Northwest District of Rutland, the settlement was incorporated as a district in 1774 under the name Hutchinson, after colonial governor Thomas Hutchinson; it was renamed Barre in 1776 to honor Colonel Isaac Barré, a supporter of American independence in the British Parliament.

A bridge near South Barre carrying Massachusetts Route 32 over the Ware River was renamed in 2015 for Basil Izzi, a Barre native and U.S. Navy Armed Guard sailor who survived 83 days adrift in the Atlantic after his ship was torpedoed in 1943.

Parks, trails and outdoors in Barre

The Ware River and the flood-control land around Barre Falls Dam give the town river frontage and open reservoir land to the east.

  • Barre Falls Dam recreation areaArmy Corps flood-control land on the Ware River with access from Route 62.
  • Ware RiverRuns through Barre and forms part of the town's eastern border area near South Barre.

Walkability and getting around Barre

The town common and adjacent streets in Barre center are walkable, with Town Hall, the library and several historic buildings within a few blocks. Outside the center, most of the town is rural and requires a car.

Check any Barre address

Drive times

  • Worcester, about 24 miles
  • Worcester Regional Airport, about 16 miles

Approximate, without traffic.

By bus or train

Barre has no fixed-route public transit; the nearest regional bus service is the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA), which does not run scheduled routes into Barre.

Barre property taxes

Barre's FY2026 residential tax rate is $13.35 per $1,000 of assessed value. Massachusetts assesses homes at full value, so each $100,000 of assessed value costs about $1,335 a year. The average single-family tax bill was $5,053, on an average assessed value of $378,506.

Barre's FY2026 tax rates

$13.35per $1,000, residential

  • Residential$13.35 per $1,000
  • Average single-family assessed value$378,506
  • Average single-family tax bill$5,053
  • Motor vehicle excise (statewide)$25 per $1,000 of value

Source: Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Tax Rates by Class and Average Single Family Tax Bill.

Barre property tax calculator

$
Assessed value (100%)
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Taxes a year
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About this much a month
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Estimate at the FY2026 residential rate; the assessor's value sets the bill.

Add it to a full payment estimate

How the residential rate has changed

Fiscal yearResidential rate
FY2022$16.84
FY2023$15.86
FY2024$13.98
FY2025$13.59
FY2026$13.35

Look up a Barre property

Buying a home in Barre

What we check on a Barre purchase: MassHousing limits, the flood map, the smoke certificate, septic & wells, trash.

MassHousing

First-time buyer programs

MassHousing sets its own income and price limits for Worcester County. We check them with you before you shop.

MassHousing home loans
Flood maps

Check the flood zone first

The Ware River runs through Barre, and FEMA flood zones follow its banks, including near South Barre; the Barre Falls Dam upstream is a flood-control structure on the same river. We check FEMA's map before you offer.

FEMA's flood map for Barre
Before closing

Smoke and CO certificate

Massachusetts requires the seller to get a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate from the Barre Fire Department before the sale closes.

Barre Fire Department page
Septic & wells

Title 5 and private wells

Outside the town center, homes commonly rely on private wells and septic systems. Massachusetts law requires a Title 5 septic inspection before a home on a septic system is sold, and buyers should budget time for that inspection.

Board of Health
Trash

No curbside pickup

Barre uses a transfer station rather than curbside trash collection; buyers should confirm the current sticker or bag program before closing.

Transfer station info

All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. MassHousing limits and eligibility are set by MassHousing and change from time to time.

James Allen

Thinking about buying in Barre?

We're licensed in Massachusetts. Send us a Barre address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.

Call (860) 398-5268 Text us Email the team

Compare loan optionsOur process

Moving to Barre: utilities, trash and town hall

Who to call in Barre.

Town Hall offices and contacts

Barre Town Hall is at 40 West Street, Barre, MA 01005. Main line: 978-355-2504.

Barre, MA FAQ: taxes and town services

What is the property tax rate in Barre, MA?

Barre's FY2026 residential tax rate is $13.35 per $1,000 of assessed value. Massachusetts fiscal years run July 1 to June 30.

How much are property taxes on a $400,000 home in Barre?

Massachusetts taxes homes on their full assessed value. If a home is assessed at $400,000, that's about $5,340 a year at $13.35 per $1,000. The bill uses the assessor's value, not the sale price.

Does Barre have a split tax rate?

No. Barre uses a single rate of $13.35 per $1,000 for all property classes.

What is the average single-family tax bill in Barre?

The average single-family tax bill in Barre was $5,053 for FY2026, on an average assessed value of $378,506.

Does Barre have curbside trash pickup?

No. Barre uses a transfer station, operated under contract with Solid Waste Solutions LLC, rather than curbside collection.

What ZIP codes cover Barre?

Barre center uses 01005 and South Barre uses 01074.

How far is Barre from Worcester?

Barre is about 22 miles from Worcester.

What school district serves Barre?

Barre is part of the Quabbin Regional School District, along with Hardwick, Hubbardston, New Braintree and Oakham.

Towns near Barre

Neighbors of Barre, including across the Connecticut line where it applies. All Massachusetts town guides.

Sources