Compare towns
Hadley vs Worcester vs Maynard
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).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Worcester | Maynard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
207,055Highest |
10,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
| Hadley and Maynard 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester and Maynard 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Maynard 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% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Worcester 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 |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA |
| Maynard and Hadley 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 |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
| Maynard and Hadley 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 |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 12% below MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Maynard 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Maynard |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | South High Community | Maynard High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
9.7 |
| 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.