What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hadley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).

Williamstown has the most people working from home (27.3%).

Williamstown is a college town. 28.9% 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.

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

Measure	Hadley	Williamstown
People
Population	5,306Lowest	9,150Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA	37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA
	Hadley and Williamstown 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%	15.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hadley and Williamstown 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%	24.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±5.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA	$106,650±$25kLowest about the MA average
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA	$437,100±$39kLowest 22% below MA
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA	$1,584±$292Highest 10% below MA
	Williamstown and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,271Lowest 12% below MA	$5,290Highest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.9%±15.4Highest MA: 51.8%
	Williamstown and Hadley 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%	11.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	73.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 33% below MA	16 minLowest 45% below MA
Work from home	20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	27.3%±5.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Williamstown 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	#45 of 282 in MA
School district	Hadley	Mount Greylock
High school in town	Hopkins Academy	Mt Greylock Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.3Lowest	11.4Highest
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.