Compare towns
Barre vs Hardwick vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Barre | Hardwick | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,572 |
2,684Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Barre and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
| Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Hardwick and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham 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 | #134 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Quabbin | Wareham |
| High school in town | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.