Compare towns
Hadley vs Exeter vs Maynard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Exeter | Maynard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
16,151Highest |
10,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.3±4.3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hadley and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$124,067±$16kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Maynard 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±$43k 54% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31kHighest 59% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,800±$148 27% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 69% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$8,266 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Maynard 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #166 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Maynard |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Exeter High School | Maynard High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.