Compare towns
Hadley vs Holyoke 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).
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Northampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Holyoke | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
37,813Highest |
30,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
| Hadley and Northampton 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% |
21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke 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% |
20.1%±1.6Lowest 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% |
25.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest 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 |
$53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,021±$60Lowest 42% 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 |
$4,065Lowest 32% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Holyoke 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% |
27%Highest MA: 10% |
13.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 33% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
21 minHighest 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5Lowest 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Holyoke · Springfield | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Holyoke High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
12.5 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.