My pound cakes always get hard around the ends when I bake it until center is done.. I have been making it for years.

Lower temperature and longer baking time IMHO.

What baking pan are you using?
If Pyrex or glass, and cake baked at recipe temp, that may be part of the problem. If using such a pan, reduce oven temp by25F.

Are you greasing the sides of the pan? Could be too much causing the sides to overcook. Or it could be your oven isn’t heating accurately. Do you have an oven thermometer? They are a wonderful tool.