Compare towns
Hadley vs Exeter vs Maynard vs Northampton
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 highest household income ($124k).
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 | Exeter | Maynard | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
16,151 |
10,712 |
30,962Highest |
| 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% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.3±4.3 16% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8Lowest 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% |
20.4%±1.7 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% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$12k 48% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$124,067±$16kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31kHighest 59% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17kLowest 29% 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. |
$1,439±$75 about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$5,680 82% 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% |
57.6%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Northampton 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 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. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northampton and Maynard 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 | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Maynard | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Exeter High School | Maynard High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
12.1 |
9.7 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.