Compare towns
Dudley vs Easthampton 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
Dudley has the most homeowners (73.1%).
Easthampton has the oldest population (median age 46).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Dudley | Easthampton | Northampton | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929Lowest |
16,086 |
30,962Highest |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
— | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4 about the MA average |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Easthampton and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% MA: 47.3% |
38% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northampton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$71,673±$7k 31% below MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Dudley and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691 38% below MA |
$4,932 18% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
13.4% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
57.3% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Easthampton 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Easthampton | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Easthampton High | Northampton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
9.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.