Compare towns
Ware vs Gardner vs Upton vs Hardwick
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Gardner | Upton | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
21,148Highest |
8,189 |
2,684Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
| Upton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
| Gardner 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 |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 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% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Gardner | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Gardner High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.2 |
— |
| 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.