Compare towns
Ware vs Canaan 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
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Canaan has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Hardwick has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
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 | Canaan | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
3,811 |
2,684Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.4±3.7 14% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canaan and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,583±$6kHighest about the U.S. average |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
| Canaan and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$254,000±$26kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$346,700±$67kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,140±$90Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
| Canaan and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,985Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canaan and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canaan 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | #163 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.