Compare towns
Easthampton vs Stow 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).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
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 | Stow | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,086 |
7,165Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Easthampton and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,439±$75 18% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,680 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 23% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #92 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Easthampton | Nashoba | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Easthampton High | None in town | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 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.