Compare towns
Hardwick vs New Braintree vs Warwick
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).
New Braintree has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | New Braintree | Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Highest |
973 |
776Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
0%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Lowest 13% above MA |
47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
| Warwick 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% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest 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% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Warwick 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% |
41.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree 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 |
$99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
$93,333±$22k 10% below MA |
| New Braintree and Warwick 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 |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
| New Braintree and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
$1,367±$163 22% below MA |
| New Braintree and Warwick 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 |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
$4,380Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #163 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Quabbin | Warwick |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.