Compare towns
Hardwick vs Wakefield vs Ware vs New Braintree
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 renters (31.8% rent).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
New Braintree has the most homeowners (89.8%).
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 | Wakefield | Ware | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
27,793Highest |
10,048 |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 27% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,508 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #163 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.