Compare towns
Ware vs Montague 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Montague has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Montague | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
8,482 |
2,684Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±3.1 11% above MA |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
| Hardwick and Montague 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% |
19%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6Highest 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% |
23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
| Montague and Hardwick 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% |
37.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest 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 |
$70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
$75,000±$22kHighest 28% below MA |
| Hardwick and Montague 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 |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
$346,700±$67kHighest 38% 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 |
$1,207±$115Highest 31% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
| Montague 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 |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Ware 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% |
11.5% MA: 10% |
11%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Montague 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 | #265 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Franklin County Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.