Compare towns
Easthampton vs Freeport vs Northampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Easthampton has the most affordable homes ($372k median).
Freeport has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Freeport | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,086 |
8,802Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6 18% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Freeport and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Freeport and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Freeport 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17k 29% above U.S. |
| Freeport 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 9% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,439±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$5,680Highest 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northampton and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | RSU 05 | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | Freeport High School | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.2 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.