Compare towns
Windsor vs Hardwick vs Ware vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
New Braintree has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Windsor | Hardwick | Ware | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065 |
2,684 |
6,369Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 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 | $115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
| Windsor and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$346,700±$67k 38% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
| New Braintree and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,108±$119 37% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 35% below MA |
$4,400 27% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 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 | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor 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 | — | #163 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Quabbin | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.