Compare towns
New Braintree vs Windsor Locks vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Braintree has the highest household income ($100k).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Windsor Locks | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973Lowest |
12,579Highest |
2,684 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest 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 | $99,500±$8kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$75,000±$22kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| New Braintree and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,800±$27kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$316Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,108±$119Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| New Braintree and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,508Highest 77% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8Highest 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 | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #109 of 149 in CT | #163 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Windsor Locks School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9 |
— |
| 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.