Compare towns
Granby vs Hardwick vs Ware vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Granby has the highest household income ($119k).
Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Granby | Hardwick | Ware | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,080 |
2,684Lowest |
10,048 |
20,904Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±1.8 11% above MA |
| Granby and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.7%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.8%±3.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Granby and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,297±$33kHighest 15% above MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,838±$7k 18% below MA |
| Granby and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,600±$16kHighest 37% below MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Granby and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA |
| Ludlow and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,572Highest 7% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,918 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Granby and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 20% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ludlow 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 | #259 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Granby | Quabbin | Ware | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Granby Jr Sr High School | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.