Compare towns
Hardwick vs Pepperell vs Sutton 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
Pepperell has the most renters (50.8% rent).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Pepperell | Sutton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
1,971Lowest |
2,239 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
46.4±6.3 19% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Sutton 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% |
38.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Sutton 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. |
$76,726±$17k 5% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$457,300±$40kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,139±$301 19% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$6,871 120% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±20.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hardwick 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Pepperell 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | — | Kearsarge Regional School District | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Kearsarge Regional 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 | 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.