Compare towns
Hadley vs Natick vs Amherst Town
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 homeowners (73.4%).
Natick has the most expensive homes ($821k median).
Amherst Town has the youngest population (median age 21.4).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Natick | Amherst Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
36,873 |
38,182Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
21.4±0.2Lowest 47% below MA |
| Hadley and Natick 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% |
21.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
7.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Natick 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% |
20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.1%±1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
59.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
$66,968±$7kLowest 36% below MA |
| Natick 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 |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
$484,900±$21kLowest 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,671±$93 5% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
$8,787 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
23.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
44.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 33% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
21%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Natick and Amherst Town 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 | #48 of 282 in MA | #58 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Natick | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Natick High | Amherst Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.