Compare towns

Easthampton vs Lawrence vs Montague

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 people working from home (19%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Montague has the most affordable homes ($282k median).

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.

MeasureEasthamptonLawrenceMontague
People
Population
16,086
88,736Highest
8,482Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+16.7%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+1.7%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
46±2.6Highest
15% above MA
32.6±0.9Lowest
19% below MA
44.3±3.1
11% above MA
Easthampton and Montague 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%
26.3%±1.6Highest
MA: 19.4%
19%±2.8
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
23.9%±3Highest
MA: 17.9%
10.5%±0.9Lowest
MA: 17.9%
23.5%±3.2
MA: 17.9%
Easthampton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
38%Highest
MA: 47.3%
16.8%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
37.5%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.1%±1.9Highest
MA: 7.9%
5.4%±0.8
MA: 7.9%
3.7%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Easthampton and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$71,673±$7kHighest
31% below MA
$60,433±$3kLowest
42% below MA
$70,510±$12k
32% below MA
Easthampton and Montague 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
$415,200±$23kHighest
26% below MA
$282,100±$17kLowest
50% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,292±$70
27% below MA
$1,662±$50Highest
6% below MA
$1,207±$115Lowest
31% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,932Highest
18% below MA
$3,422Lowest
43% below MA
$3,922
35% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.5%±10.7Lowest
MA: 51.8%
60.6%±3.6
MA: 51.8%
64.6%±8.6Highest
MA: 51.8%
Montague and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8%Lowest
MA: 10%
17.6%Highest
MA: 10%
11.5%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.4%
MA: 62.5%
28.1%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
62.7%Highest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966Highest
2 yrs newer than MA
1950Lowest
14 yrs older than MA
1951
13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 min
23% below MA
23 minHighest
21% below MA
21 minLowest
28% below MA
Work from home
19%±3.2Highest
MA: 18.6%
6.8%±1.2Lowest
MA: 18.6%
14.9%±4.2
MA: 18.6%
Easthampton and Montague 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 #278 of 282 in MA #265 of 282 in MA
School district Easthampton Lawrence Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague
High school in town Easthampton High Lawrence High School Franklin County Technical
Students per teacherat that high school
9.8Lowest
13.6Highest
11.7
On TownTapestry
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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.