Compare towns
Easthampton vs Spencer vs Upton 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).
Spencer has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Northampton has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
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 | Spencer | Upton | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,086 |
12,008 |
8,189Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6 15% above MA |
48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Spencer and Upton 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% |
16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer 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% MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$80,533±$11k 23% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932 18% below MA |
$4,387Lowest 27% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,680 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8% MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% MA: 62.5% |
63% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Upton 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | Spencer-E Brookfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | David Prouty High | Blackstone Valley | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
9.9 |
11.2 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.