Compare towns
Montgomery vs Hardwick vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montgomery has the highest household income ($123k).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
New Braintree has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
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 | Montgomery | Hardwick | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 796Lowest |
2,684Highest |
973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
45.3±9.8Lowest 13% above MA |
47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
| Montgomery and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±5.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Montgomery and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±7 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,000±$19kHighest 18% above MA |
$75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| Montgomery and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,500±$29k 36% below MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
| New Braintree and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,283Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.4%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Montgomery and Hardwick 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 | — |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.