Compare towns
Easthampton vs Buzzards Bay vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Easthampton has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Buzzards Bay has the oldest population (median age 54.4).
Hadley has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,086Highest |
2,909Lowest |
5,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6 15% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
45.8±7.1Lowest 15% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest 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+ | 23.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Hadley 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% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
| Hadley and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932 18% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,271Highest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Easthampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Hadley 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 | — | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | — | Hadley |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | — | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | 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.