Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ware vs Windham vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
North Brookfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1953).
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 | Windham | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
10,048 |
16,038Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4 16% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 7% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$359,100±$32k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,176Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and North Brookfield 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Windham School District | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Windham High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
12.8Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.