Compare towns
Franklin vs Hardwick vs Ware vs Chaplin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Hardwick has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
Ware has the oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Franklin | Hardwick | Ware | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,004Lowest |
2,684 |
10,048Highest |
2,070 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40.3±4.3Lowest 4% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,000±$10kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
| Franklin and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
$346,700±$67kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Chaplin and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,934Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,524Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7 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 | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%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 | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Ware 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 | Franklin School District | Quabbin | Ware | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Highest |
7.5Lowest |
| 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.