Compare towns
Hadley vs Fall River vs Maynard 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Maynard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
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 | Fall River | Maynard | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
94,082Highest |
10,712 |
30,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
| Hadley and Maynard 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% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fall River and Maynard 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% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Northampton 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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±$12k 15% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| 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 9% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| 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±$132 20% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,439±$75 18% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 12% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$5,680 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Fall River 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
13.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Maynard | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | B M C Durfee High | Maynard High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
11.3 |
9.7 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.