Compare towns
Hardwick vs Killingly vs New Braintree 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).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
New Braintree has the most homeowners (89.8%).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Killingly | New Braintree | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
17,867Highest |
973Lowest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.8±4.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% 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%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree 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% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Braintree 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Killingly 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. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$99,500±$8k 23% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Barre 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. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$408,800±$27kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
| New Braintree 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. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below 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 | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,508Highest 77% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree 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% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre and Killingly 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | — | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Quabbin | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.