Compare towns
Fall River vs Hardwick vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($75k).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Fall River | Hardwick | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
2,684Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$75,000±$22kHighest 28% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Fall River and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Highest 34% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Fall River and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Hardwick 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Quabbin | Ware |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.