Compare towns
Hardwick vs Suffield vs Windsor vs Petersham
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).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Petersham has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
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 | Suffield | Windsor | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
15,702 |
29,468Highest |
1,185Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9Lowest 12% above U.S. |
56.3±2.7Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Petersham 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% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Windsor 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% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Petersham 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Windsor 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. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$104,725±$8k 30% above U.S. |
$110,750±$20k 37% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Petersham 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. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$305,200±$11kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$392,400±$20k 18% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Petersham 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. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,681±$62Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,679±$441 19% above U.S. |
| Windsor and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,351 72% above U.S. |
$4,636 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Suffield 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Petersham 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Suffield School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Petersham |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Windsor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
10.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.