What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).

New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hardwick	New Salem
People
Population	2,684Highest	1,054Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	-0.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±9.8Lowest 13% above MA	55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA
	New Salem 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 MA: 19.4%	14.5%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hardwick and New Salem 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%	23.7%±6.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	New Salem 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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9%	3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hardwick and New Salem 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	$79,688±$19kHighest 23% below MA
	New Salem and Hardwick 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	$359,000±$40kHighest 36% below MA
	New Salem and Hardwick 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	$1,194±$88Highest 32% below MA
	New Salem and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Lowest 27% below MA	$4,509Highest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±13.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	New Salem and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Highest MA: 10%	9.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	23 minLowest 20% below MA
Work from home	8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6%
	New Salem 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	—
School district	Quabbin	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.