Compare towns
Hadley vs Plainfield vs Amherst Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the highest household income ($119k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Plainfield | Amherst Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
15,141 |
38,182Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
21.4±0.2Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Hadley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
7.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
59.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$66,968±$7kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$484,900±$21k 46% above U.S. |
| Hadley and Amherst Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,671±$93Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 69% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,787Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±2.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst Town 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #58 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Plainfield School District | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Plainfield High School | Amherst Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
10.3 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.