Compare towns
Ware vs Canton vs Hardwick vs Belchertown
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).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Belchertown has the most homeowners (87.1%).
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 | Canton | Hardwick | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
24,748Highest |
2,684Lowest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
| Hardwick and Belchertown 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% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Hardwick 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% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Belchertown 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% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown 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 35% below MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$108,068±$15k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$371,300±$12k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,292±$230 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,560Highest 9% above MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Hardwick 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% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Quabbin | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Canton High | None in town | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— | 11.9 |
| 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.