Compare towns
Hardwick vs Needham vs Ware 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
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
New Braintree has the most homeowners (89.8%).
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 | Needham | Ware | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
32,459Highest |
6,369 |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| 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%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 27% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #163 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Needham | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.