Compare towns
Hadley vs Northampton vs Easthampton
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).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
Easthampton has the most affordable homes ($372k median).
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 | Northampton | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
30,962Highest |
16,086 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
| Easthampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hadley and Northampton 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%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Easthampton 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% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Lowest 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 |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,292±$70Lowest 27% 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 |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Easthampton 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% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
22 minHighest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Lowest 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Northampton High | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
9.8 |
| 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.