Compare towns
Hardwick vs Mendon vs Upton vs Ware
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 most renters (31.8% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Mendon | Upton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
6,325 |
8,189 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hardwick 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 28% below MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 27% below MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.