Compare towns
Hardwick vs Milton 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 kids (20.5% under 18).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Milton | Ware | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
4,538 |
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±9.8 16% above U.S. |
45.7±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
| Milton 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% |
18.4%±5 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Ware 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% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest 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% |
21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest 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. |
$94,493±$27k 17% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Barre and Milton 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. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 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±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,587±$318Highest 12% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$5,663Highest 82% 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% |
63.7%±24.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Milton 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% |
8.1%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% |
86.3%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. |
1980Highest same as 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. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton and Ware 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 | #116 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Milton School District | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Nute High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
11.1 |
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.