Compare towns
Hardwick vs Townsend vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Barre has the most people working from home (11.2%).
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 | Townsend | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
9,100Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Hardwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Barre 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 MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Barre 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 28% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Townsend and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
| Townsend and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
| Townsend and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 27% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hardwick and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
8.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Barre and Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | North Middlesex | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
12.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.