Population 716 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hardwick
Household size in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Hardwick has 2.49 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. The picture is much the same across the Worcester area.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.2 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 51.5 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.6 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.5 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Hardwick skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.9% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Hardwick (9.4%), below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hardwick
Renters in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.2% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.8% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.1% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Hardwick is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly half of owners (47.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 5.1 points from 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.2% of homes in Hardwick are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +18 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Hardwick are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $276 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $503 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $509 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $683 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$407 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Hardwick pays $683 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 28.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hardwick
Bachelor's degrees in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.3% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.0% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.3% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Hardwick as nationally: 34.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Worcester area (39.8%).
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.0% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.3% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.7% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Hardwick: 96.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hardwick
| Period | Hardwick | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Hardwick than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hardwick compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwick | 2.49 | 45.5 | 9.4% | 21.1% | 3.2% | 1987 | $683 | 34.3% | 96.7% | 3.6% |
| Gilbertville | 2.22 | 44.1 | 8.2% | 39.1% | 8.6% | 1957 | $1,070 | 27.3% | 92.6% | 6.4% |
| Wheelwright | 2.49 | 46.0 | 9.2% | 20.4% | 3.3% | 1987 | $733 | 34.8% | 96.3% | 3.5% |
| New Braintree | 2.53 | 47.9 | 11.8% | 10.3% | 5.6% | 1987 | $1,467 | 41.1% | 93.5% | 4.9% |
| Barre Plains | 3.21 | 36.7 | 12.5% | 9.0% | 6.3% | 1981 | $1,058 | 29.3% | 91.5% | 4.8% |
| South Barre | 3.17 | 36.4 | 13.2% | 12.2% | 5.3% | 1983 | $969 | 28.5% | 92.0% | 4.9% |
| Ware | 2.27 | 42.3 | 15.8% | 28.5% | 8.5% | 1959 | $1,009 | 23.0% | 91.7% | 10.4% |
| Barre | 2.70 | 44.5 | 10.9% | 26.1% | 7.7% | 1975 | $1,150 | 32.2% | 91.7% | 2.1% |
| Oakham | 2.58 | 48.9 | 4.1% | 8.6% | 8.5% | 1979 | $1,180 | 40.2% | 94.4% | 2.6% |
| Petersham | 2.42 | 56.3 | 5.7% | 6.0% | 10.7% | 1963 | $1,652 | 42.4% | 97.7% | 4.1% |
| West Brookfield | 2.22 | 56.3 | 8.3% | 21.6% | 10.2% | 1968 | $1,344 | 32.4% | 95.6% | 6.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Latimer, IA · Rosalia, KS · Rodman, NY · Rocky Ford, GA · Rochester, OH · River Pines, CA · Ritchey, MO · Macksville, KS · Leona, TX · Rose Valley, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hardwick. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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