Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ware vs Orange vs North Brookfield
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).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
North Brookfield has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Ware | Orange | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
10,048Highest |
7,573 |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
| Hardwick and North Brookfield 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and North Brookfield 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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$79,285±$11kHighest 24% below MA |
| North Brookfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$359,100±$32kHighest 36% below MA |
| North Brookfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119Highest 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$981±$63 44% below MA |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,176 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
12.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
69.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| North Brookfield and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
9.0 |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.