Compare towns
Hadley vs Windham vs Hatfield vs Northampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the highest household income ($119k).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Hatfield has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Windham | Hatfield | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,306 |
594Lowest |
3,325 |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 18% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
46.8±5Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Hatfield and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hadley and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$12kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$89,005±$25k 10% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$440,800±$26k 32% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,267±$216Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,439±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
| Northampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 69% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,930Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$5,680 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.6%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northampton and Windham 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 | — | #198 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | — | Hatfield | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | — | Smith Academy | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3 |
— | 6.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.