Compare towns
Brookline vs Hardwick vs Ware vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Hardwick has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Brookline | Hardwick | Ware | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
2,684 |
10,048Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$346,700±$67kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Putney 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 | — | #163 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Ware | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. 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.