Compare towns
Hadley vs Stow vs Sutton vs Northampton
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).
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 | Stow | Sutton | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
7,165 |
9,452 |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Hadley and Sutton 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Sutton 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Northampton 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest 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±$12k 15% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
| Stow and Sutton 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 |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,439±$75 18% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$5,680 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
21 min 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #116 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Nashoba | Sutton | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | None in town | Sutton High School | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
— | 12.6 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.