Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield vs North Brookfield
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
North Brookfield has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Plainfield | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
15,141Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.2±9.4 16% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and North Brookfield 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield 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. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$79,285±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
| North Brookfield and Plainfield 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. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Hardwick 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. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,176Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and North Brookfield 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% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Brookfield and Plainfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Plainfield School District | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.