What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Stoneham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).

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	Stoneham
People
Population	5,306Lowest	23,355Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA	42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA
	Hadley and Stoneham 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%	20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Stoneham 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%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Hadley and Stoneham 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%	55.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hadley and Stoneham 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	$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA
	Hadley and Stoneham 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	$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA	$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,271Lowest 12% below MA	$6,523Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	41.9%±8.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Stoneham and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	71%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1964Lowest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 33% below MA	28 minHighest 4% below MA
Work from home	20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Stoneham 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	#117 of 282 in MA
School district	Hadley	Stoneham
High school in town	Hopkins Academy	Stoneham High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.3Lowest	10.7Highest
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.