Compare towns
Franklin vs Hardwick vs Ware vs Norwich
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 highest household income ($105k).
Hardwick has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
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 | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,004Lowest |
2,684 |
10,048 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±4.3 4% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hardwick and Ware 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%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest 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+ | 27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Norwich 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Franklin and Hardwick 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. |
$242,300±$11kLowest 27% 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. |
$1,253±$68Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Norwich 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. |
$4,703Highest 51% 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% |
56.2%±7.2 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #163 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Franklin School District | Quabbin | Ware | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.