Compare towns
Hadley vs Gardner 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 highest household income ($119k).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Gardner | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
21,148 |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Hadley and Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% 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 | $5,271 12% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
13.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Gardner | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Gardner High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
13.5 |
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.