Compare towns
Hardwick vs Reading vs Ripton 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
Hardwick has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Reading | Ripton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
699 |
508Lowest |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Reading and Ripton 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Reading 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Reading 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. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Reading 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. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Reading 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% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Ripton 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 | — | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.1 |
| 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.