Compare towns
Fall River vs Hardwick vs Ware vs Westport
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 the most renters (64.7% rent).
Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Westport has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
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 | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
2,684Lowest |
10,048 |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
50.7±1.8Highest 27% above MA |
| Westport and Hardwick 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%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±2.9Lowest 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%±5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westport and Hardwick 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% |
29.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westport and Hardwick 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±$22k 28% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA |
| Westport and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,425±$356Highest 19% below MA |
| Westport and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,719Lowest 38% 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% |
52.9%±19.8 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% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
82.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 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% |
9.2%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Westport 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 | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Quabbin | Ware | Westport |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | 11.1Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.