Compare towns
Easthampton vs Saco vs Windham 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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Saco | Windham | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,086Lowest |
20,819 |
19,188 |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Easthampton and Saco 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% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% 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%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Northampton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70 9% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,439±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932 58% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,680Highest 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 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 min 10% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | Saco Public Schools | RSU 14 | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | None in town | Windham High School | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 12.1 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.