Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ware vs Windsor vs New Braintree
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 kids (20.5% under 18).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
New Braintree has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Windsor | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684 |
10,048Highest |
3,554 |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
47.8±4.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and New Braintree 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% |
39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest 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% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Ware 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$99,500±$8kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree 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 4% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31kLowest 38% below U.S. |
$408,800±$27kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| New Braintree 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 22% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
$5,508Highest 77% 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% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±51.2 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ware and Windsor 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.