Compare towns
Hardwick vs Pelham vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
14,449Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Pelham 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 7% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #163 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Pelham School District | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.