Compare towns
Hardwick vs Upton vs Wareham Center
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 most affordable homes ($347k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Wareham Center has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Upton | Wareham Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
8,189Highest |
3,635 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Lowest 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50.7±6.9Highest 27% above MA |
| Wareham Center and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
12%±6.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham Center and Hardwick 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$91,936±$8k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$425,700±$54k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,415±$537Highest 20% below MA |
| Wareham Center and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 27% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,217Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.9%±27.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Hardwick and Wareham Center are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.5%±13 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Wareham Center 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.