Compare towns
Hardwick vs Pelham vs Ware vs Barre
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).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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 | Pelham | Ware | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
1,335Lowest |
10,048Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Hardwick and Pelham 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% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Hardwick 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% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 28% below MA |
$113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Pelham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
| Pelham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,205±$560Highest 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
| Pelham and Hardwick 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 |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest 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% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #163 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Pelham | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.