Compare towns
Hardwick vs Glocester 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 affordable homes ($347k median).
Glocester has the most homeowners (91%).
Barre has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Glocester | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
10,221Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Glocester 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% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Glocester 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% |
35.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Barre 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. |
$113,508±$7kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Glocester 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. |
$396,500±$28kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
| Glocester 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. |
$1,417±$627Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Glocester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,248Highest 68% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Glocester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Glocester and Barre 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 | #12 of 38 in RI | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Ponaganset High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.