Compare towns
Hardwick vs Exeter vs Barre
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Barre has the most homeowners (75.8%).
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 | Exeter | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
16,151Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Exeter 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 7% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Barre 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. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #163 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.