Compare towns
Hardwick vs Georgetown vs Upton vs Ware
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).
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Georgetown | Upton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
8,474 |
8,189 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% MA: 47.3% |
56.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Ware 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 28% below MA |
$151,595±$23k 46% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Upton and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$651,200±$23kHighest 16% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 27% below MA |
$7,272 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Georgetown 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 | #140 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Georgetown | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Georgetown High School | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
11.2Highest |
11.1 |
| 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.