Compare towns
Mount Washington vs Hardwick vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Washington has the most homeowners (87.2%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Mount Washington | Hardwick | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 193Lowest |
2,684 |
4,224Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±10.7Highest 34% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
44.2±9.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Mount Washington and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±13 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Mount Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,500±$26kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$75,000±$22kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$124,256±$26k 54% above U.S. |
| Mount Washington and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $714,300±$141k 115% above U.S. |
$346,700±$67kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Mount Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,108±$119Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,846±$736Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,316Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$5,125Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mount Washington and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Washington and Salisbury 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 | #19 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Quabbin | Salisbury School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.