Compare towns
Easthampton vs Douglas vs Northampton
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 affordable homes ($372k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Douglas | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,086 |
9,207Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Easthampton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7 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+ | 38%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% 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 | $1,292±$70Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,439±$75 18% 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 | $4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$5,680 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest 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 | #92 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | Douglas | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | Douglas High School | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
7.2Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.