Compare towns
Hardwick vs Peterborough vs Ware vs Barre
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 kids (20.5% under 18).
Peterborough has the most people working from home (15.8%).
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 | Peterborough | Ware | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
6,408 |
10,048Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
| Peterborough 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peterborough 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 7% below U.S. |
$98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Barre and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$394,300±$55k 19% above U.S. |
| Peterborough 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 22% below U.S. |
$1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Peterborough and Hardwick 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. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5 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% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Peterborough and Ware 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Contoocook Valley School District | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Conval Regional High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.