Compare towns
Hardwick vs Danielson vs Ware vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Danielson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
New Braintree has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Danielson | Ware | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
4,209 |
10,048Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
47.8±4.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| 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%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$99,500±$8kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$408,800±$27kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree 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 22% below U.S. |
$1,235±$194 13% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,009Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,508Highest 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2 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 | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4 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 | — |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.