What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).

Nottingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

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	Nottingham
People
Population	2,684Lowest	5,357Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S.	38.8±6.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Hardwick and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Nottingham and Hardwick 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%	18.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hardwick and Nottingham 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 U.S.: 35.7%	40.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hardwick and Nottingham 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 7% below U.S.	$122,201±$20kHighest 51% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$346,700±$67kLowest 4% above U.S.	$457,500±$26kHighest 38% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,108±$119Lowest 22% below U.S.	$2,068±$1kHighest 46% above U.S.
	Nottingham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S.	$7,319Highest 135% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±13.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	92.1%±44.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Nottingham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 18% above U.S.	34 minHighest 28% above U.S.
Work from home	8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#163 of 282 in MA	#15 of 120 in NH
School district	Quabbin	Nottingham School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.