Compare towns
Boston vs Easthampton vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most expensive homes ($732k median).
Easthampton has the most affordable homes ($372k median).
Hadley has the most homeowners (73.4%).
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 | Boston | Easthampton | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
16,086 |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
| Easthampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hadley and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
38%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Boston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2k 6% below MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,292±$70Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,932 18% below MA |
$5,271Highest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Boston 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Easthampton | Hadley |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Easthampton High | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
9.8 |
7.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.