Compare towns
Hardwick vs Jaffrey vs Ware 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).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Jaffrey | Ware | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
5,448 |
10,048Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.9±3.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% 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% |
23.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Jaffrey and Hardwick 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% |
18.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 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±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$92,330±$18k 14% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Barre and Jaffrey 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. |
$245,500±$27kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% 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. |
$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713 27% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$6,196Highest 99% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±23 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs 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 7% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware 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 | #87 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Conant Middle High School (H) | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 21.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.