Compare towns
Brookline vs Hardwick vs Ware vs Windham
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 homeowners (84.9%).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Ware has the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
2,684 |
10,048Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above 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% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest 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%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Hardwick 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% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Brookline 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±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Hardwick 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±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% 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% |
82.9% 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. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer 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. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | — |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Ware | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.