Compare towns
Hardwick vs Windsor Locks 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 kids (20.5% under 18).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
North Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.2%).
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 | Windsor Locks | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
12,579Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 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%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Windsor Locks 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. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and North Brookfield 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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield 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. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,176 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Windsor Locks 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% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | — | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | — | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 5.5 |
| 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.