Compare towns
New Braintree vs Whately vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Braintree has the most homeowners (89.8%).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
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 | New Braintree | Whately | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973Lowest |
1,499 |
2,684Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
45.3±9.8Lowest 13% above MA |
| Whately and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% MA: 47.3% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
| Whately and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
$431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
| Whately and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% 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 | $5,508Highest 8% below MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
$4,400Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8Highest 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 | 7.2% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Whately 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 | Whately | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None 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.