Compare towns
Easthampton vs Brookfield vs Northampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
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 | Easthampton | Brookfield | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,086 |
3,460Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6 15% above MA |
52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northampton and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38% MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$81,250±$37kHighest 22% below MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| Brookfield and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest 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 | #92 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | Brookfield | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | None in town | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.