Compare towns
Ware vs Hardwick vs Palmer Town
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 people working from home (12.3%).
Hardwick has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
Palmer Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Hardwick | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,684Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town 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% |
20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Palmer Town 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% |
30.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and Ware 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 |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$78,480±$8kHighest 25% below MA |
| Palmer Town 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 48% below MA |
$346,700±$67kHighest 38% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| 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 41% below MA |
$1,108±$119Highest 37% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Hardwick and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$4,540Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest 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% |
11% MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Hardwick 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Quabbin | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.