Compare towns
Hatfield vs Becket vs Northampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hatfield has the highest household income ($89k).
Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
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 | Hatfield | Becket | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
1,962Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Becket and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northampton and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% MA: 47.3% |
45.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25kHighest 14% below MA |
$80,417±$29k 23% below MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
| Hatfield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26kHighest 22% below MA |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| Hatfield and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,439±$75 18% below MA |
| Becket and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930 18% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Hatfield 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | — | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Central Berkshire | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | None in town | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
— | 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.