Compare towns
New Braintree vs Windsor 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973Lowest |
1,065 |
2,684Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.6% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
44.8±6.4Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest 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% |
18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
41.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$75,000±$22kLowest 28% below MA |
| Windsor 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±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
$389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
| New Braintree and Windsor 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 |
— | $1,108±$119Lowest 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 |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% MA: 62.5% |
96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 26% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 Our Story | 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.