What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hadley has the most homeowners (73.4%).

Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hadley	Somerville
People
Population	5,306Lowest	81,036Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA
Kids under 18	16.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9%	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	69.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±5.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Somerville 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±$12kLowest 15% above MA	$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA
	Somerville 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±$43kLowest 9% below MA	$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA	$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,271Lowest 12% below MA	$6,186Highest 3% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.6%±18.9Highest MA: 51.8%	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hadley and Somerville 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%	9.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 33% below MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#116 of 282 in MA	#225 of 282 in MA
School district	Hadley	Somerville
High school in town	Hopkins Academy	Somerville High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.3Lowest	11.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.