Compare towns
Hadley vs Holyoke vs Rowley
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 most people working from home (20.1%).
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
37,813Highest |
6,251 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke and Rowley 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Rowley 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 |
$53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$132,734±$32kHighest 28% above MA |
| Rowley 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 |
$274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
| Rowley 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 |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
27%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 33% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
28 minHighest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hadley and Holyoke 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 | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Holyoke · Springfield | Triton |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Holyoke High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
12.5Highest |
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| 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.