Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield vs Windsor Locks vs Bernardston
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).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Windsor Locks | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
15,141Highest |
12,579 |
2,164Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
49±3.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Bernardston 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest 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%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bernardston 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% 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% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Windsor Locks 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. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$81,940±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Bernardston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$332,000±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Hardwick and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,283±$553 9% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Bernardston 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,516Highest 45% 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% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Bernardston 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Plainfield School District | Windsor Locks School District | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.