Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ashburnham vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Ashburnham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
New Braintree has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Hardwick | Ashburnham | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684 |
6,415Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
$118,809±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| Ashburnham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$390,700±$34k 30% below MA |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
| New Braintree and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Ashburnham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 27% below MA |
$6,046Highest about the MA average |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham 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 | #178 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Ashburnham-Westminster | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.