Compare towns
Ware vs Webster vs Hardwick vs Winchendon
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 most affordable homes ($290k median).
Webster has the highest household income ($107k).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Webster | Hardwick | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,227Lowest |
2,684 |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6 15% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hardwick and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Ware 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% |
30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Winchendon 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. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$346,700±$67kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
| Hardwick and Webster 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. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163 11% below U.S. |
| Webster and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster 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 | — | #163 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Merrimack Valley School District | Quabbin | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | — | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.