Compare towns
Hardwick vs Lee vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the youngest population (median age 45.3).
Lee has the most people working from home (16.4%).
New Braintree has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
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 | Lee | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684 |
5,719Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Lowest 13% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
| Lee and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| 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%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Lee 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 MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Lee 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 28% below MA |
$83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
$99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
| New Braintree and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$352,700±$19k 37% below MA |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 27% below MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hardwick and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Lee | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | None yet |
MA 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.