Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainville vs Windsor Locks 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).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Plainville | Windsor Locks | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
17,551Highest |
12,579 |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Windsor Locks 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% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Plainville 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% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,000±$22kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Barre 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. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville 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. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest 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% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Barre 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Windsor Locks School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | Windsor Locks High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
8.9Lowest |
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.