Compare towns
Ware vs Boxford vs Hardwick vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Ware | Boxford | Hardwick | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
8,208 |
2,684Lowest |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+3% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Boxford and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Boxford and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.2%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
| Dudley and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boxford and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Boxford and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #34 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Boxford · Masconomet | Quabbin | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Masconomet Regional High School | None in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.2 |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.