Compare towns
Hardwick vs Guildhall 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 renters (31.8% rent).
Guildhall has the shortest commute (25 min average).
New Braintree has the most expensive homes ($409k 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 | Guildhall | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Highest |
371Lowest |
973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8Lowest 10% 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%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4Lowest 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%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall and New Braintree 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest 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% |
2.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree 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. |
$99,500±$8k 23% above U.S. |
| Guildhall and New Braintree 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. |
$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. |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S. |
| New Braintree 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. |
$4,625 48% above U.S. |
$5,508Highest 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2Lowest 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% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree 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 | — | — |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.