Compare towns
Hardwick vs Suffield vs Windsor Locks vs New Braintree
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 highest household income ($119k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
New Braintree has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 Locks | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
15,702Highest |
12,579 |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -0.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.8±4.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree 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%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree 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%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Braintree 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest 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%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest 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. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$99,500±$8k 23% above U.S. |
| Suffield and New Braintree 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±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$408,800±$27kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Suffield 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 |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Suffield 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. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,508 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Windsor Locks 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Suffield School District | Windsor Locks School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
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.