Compare towns
Douglas vs Northampton vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Northampton has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
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 | Douglas | Northampton | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
30,962Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Douglas and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Northampton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
| Douglas and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
| Douglas and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$5,680 5% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Webster |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Northampton High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
14.7Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.