Compare towns
Hardwick vs Warner vs Barre
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).
Warner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Warner | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
2,959 |
5,572Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.7±4Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Barre 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% |
17.3%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Warner 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% |
20.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,000±$22kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$94,022±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Barre and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$353,100±$22k 6% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Barre and Warner 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. |
$1,219±$123Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Warner and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$5,163 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warner and Barre 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 | — | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Kearsarge Regional School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.