The Town FilesHarvard, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 6,851 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $833,600
- Household income
- $213,996
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 44.1
Harvard is a town of 6,851 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $833,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more upscale than 91% of Massachusetts towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Massachusetts towns, better for families than 79% of Massachusetts towns.
How Harvard ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Harvard is worth $833,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $213,996, which is more affordable than 78% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,321 a month. 89.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Harvard | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $833,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,321 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $213,996 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 89.4% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Harvard
| People | Harvard | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.0% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.2% | — |
| Work from home | 44.8% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 31.6 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Harvard
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 49.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.0 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harvard since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 3, 1970 about 4.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 22, 1988.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Harvard itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Harvard
3 public schools with 1,019 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hildreth Elementary School | PK-5 | 442 | 13.4 |
| Bromfield | 9-12 | 325 | 10.2 |
| The Bromfield Middle School | 6-8 | 252 | 11.5 |
Towns near Harvard
- Boxborough, MA3.7 mi · 5,506 people · home $706,900
- Ayer, MA4.0 mi · 2,986 people · home $444,600
- Ayer, MA4.4 mi · 8,479 people · home $463,800
- Bolton, MA4.5 mi · 5,665 people · home $796,000
- Lancaster, MA4.7 mi · 8,441 people · home $519,100
- Littleton, MA5.4 mi · 10,141 people · home $658,300
- Shirley, MA5.5 mi · 7,431 people · home $427,600
- Littleton Common, MA6.3 mi · 3,065 people · home $558,200
Harvard questions
Is Harvard, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Harvard scores better for retirees than 75% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 64%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Harvard?
The median owner-occupied home in Harvard is valued at $833,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $213,996, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,321 a month.
What is the weather like in Harvard?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.7 inches of precipitation a year and 59.0 inches of snow.
Does Harvard get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harvard since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 3, 1970. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)