Compare towns
Ware vs Sutton 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Sutton | Hardwick | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
9,452 |
2,684Lowest |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hardwick and Sutton 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%±3.2Lowest 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% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA |
$1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Sutton and Hardwick 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 |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 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% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%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 |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #163 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Sutton | Quabbin | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Sutton High School | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.6Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.