Compare towns
Hadley vs Williamstown 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 most expensive homes ($511k median).
Williamstown has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Northampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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.
| Measure | Hadley | Williamstown | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
9,150 |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA |
41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
| Hadley and Northampton 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% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Hadley and Northampton 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%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest 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% |
62.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
$106,650±$25k about the MA average |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
| 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±$39k 22% below MA |
$429,700±$17kLowest 24% 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 |
$1,439±$75 18% below MA |
| Williamstown and Northampton 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 |
$5,290 12% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±15.4 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Williamstown 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% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 33% below MA |
16 minLowest 45% below MA |
21 minHighest 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.3%±5.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Williamstown and Northampton 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 | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Mount Greylock | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Mt Greylock Regional High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
11.4 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.