Compare towns
Hadley vs Ashby vs Northampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the most expensive homes ($511k median).
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).
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 | Hadley | Ashby | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306 |
3,211Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Ashby and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashby and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
| Hadley and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
| Northampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$6,034Highest about the MA average |
$5,680 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | North Middlesex | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | None in town | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
— | 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.