Compare towns

Amherst Town vs Everett vs Hadley

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst Town has the youngest population (median age 21.4).
Everett has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Hadley has the most homeowners (73.4%).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureAmherst TownEverettHadley
People
Population
38,182
50,045Highest
5,306Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+17.8%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+1.4%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
21.4±0.2Lowest
47% below MA
35.2±1.5
12% below MA
45.8±7.1Highest
15% above MA
Kids under 18
7.5%±1.1Lowest
MA: 19.4%
21.8%±2.1Highest
MA: 19.4%
16.2%±4.6
MA: 19.4%
Everett and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
10.1%±1Lowest
MA: 17.9%
11.3%±1.1
MA: 17.9%
24.2%±4.8Highest
MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
75.6%Highest
MA: 47.3%
24.9%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
61.3%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
59.6%±2.2Highest
MA: 7.9%
6.3%±0.9Lowest
MA: 7.9%
10.9%±5.7
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$66,968±$7kLowest
36% below MA
$85,218±$7k
18% below MA
$119,259±$12kHighest
15% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$484,900±$21kLowest
14% below MA
$610,000±$23kHighest
9% above MA
$511,000±$43k
9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,671±$93
5% below MA
$2,076±$69Highest
18% above MA
$1,402±$132Lowest
20% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,787Highest
47% above MA
$4,880Lowest
19% below MA
$5,271
12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
68.1%±8.8Highest
MA: 51.8%
56.4%±5.8
MA: 51.8%
38.6%±18.9Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Amherst Town and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
23.7%Highest
MA: 10%
14.7%
MA: 10%
6.4%Lowest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
44.2%
MA: 62.5%
37.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
73.4%Highest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Highest
11 yrs newer than MA
1938Lowest
26 yrs older than MA
1971
7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
38% below MA
35 minHighest
20% above MA
20 min
33% below MA
Work from home
21%±2.6Highest
MA: 18.6%
10.5%±2Lowest
MA: 18.6%
20.1%±7.4
MA: 18.6%
Amherst Town and Hadley 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 #58 of 282 in MA #264 of 282 in MA #116 of 282 in MA
School district Amherst · Amherst-Pelham Everett Hadley
High school in town Amherst Regional High Everett High Hopkins Academy
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3
12.1Highest
7.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.