Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ware vs Townsend 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 the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Townsend | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
10,048Highest |
9,100 |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Townsend 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±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$981±$63Lowest 44% 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 | $4,400 27% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 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 |
37 min 27% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | North Middlesex | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | North Middlesex Regional | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
13.1Highest |
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.