Compare towns
Easthampton vs Fall River 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 oldest population (median age 46).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | Fall River | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,086Lowest |
94,082Highest |
30,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
| Easthampton and Northampton 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% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7k 31% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$80,288±$6kHighest 23% below MA |
| Northampton and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932 18% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
26 minHighest 11% below MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | B M C Durfee High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.3 |
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.