Compare towns
Hardwick vs Walpole vs Ware 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 most renters (31.8% rent).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Walpole | Ware | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
26,388Highest |
10,048 |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole 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% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Ware 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% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest 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±$22k 28% below MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 27% below MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 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% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #163 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Walpole High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.