Compare towns
Ware vs Middlesex vs Hardwick vs Palmer Town
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 the youngest population (median age 43.1).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Middlesex | Hardwick | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
1,943Lowest |
2,684 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8 16% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Middlesex 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. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Hardwick 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. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,075±$103 24% below U.S. |
| Middlesex 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. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Quabbin | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | — | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.