Compare towns
Hardwick vs Guildhall 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 renters (31.8% rent).
Guildhall has the most homeowners (93.7%).
Barre has the most people working from home (11.2%).
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 | Guildhall | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684 |
371Lowest |
5,572Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Guildhall and Hardwick 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% |
26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall 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% |
33.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest 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. |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
| Guildhall 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±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$321,200±$62kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Barre and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119Highest 22% below U.S. |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713 27% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Barre 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. |
$4,625 48% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall 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% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre 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 | — | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
| 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.