What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hadley has the most homeowners (73.4%).

Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).

Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hadley	Cambridge
People
Population	5,306Lowest	118,796Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA	30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA
Kids under 18	16.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hadley and Cambridge 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%	12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	80.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±5.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA	$130,748±$4kHighest 26% above MA
	Cambridge and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA	$1,092,100±$42kHighest 94% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA	$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,271Highest 12% below MA	$4,802Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	45%±2.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Cambridge and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%	12.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 33% below MA	26 minHighest 11% below MA
Work from home	20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.8%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#116 of 282 in MA	#122 of 282 in MA
School district	Hadley	Cambridge
High school in town	Hopkins Academy	Cambridge Rindge and Latin
Students per teacherat that high school	7.3Lowest	9.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.