Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ware vs Wilbraham
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).
Wilbraham has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Wilbraham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
10,048 |
14,572Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.7 11% above MA |
| Hardwick and Wilbraham 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%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wilbraham and Hardwick 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wilbraham 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Wilbraham 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 |
$122,051±$14kHighest 17% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$416,000±$25kHighest 26% below MA |
| Wilbraham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,175±$241Highest 33% below MA |
| Wilbraham 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,658Highest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.1%±23.8Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
88.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wilbraham 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 | #88 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Minnechaug Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
14.2Highest |
| 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.