Compare towns
Hatfield vs Epping vs Boylston 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
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Epping has the most homeowners (86.3%).
Boylston has the highest household income ($141k).
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 | Hatfield | Epping | Boylston | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
7,430 |
4,948 |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 20% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
48.2±2.3Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Boylston 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hatfield and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 10% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$140,962±$28kHighest 75% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26k 32% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$578,600±$47kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$2,032±$350Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,439±$75 about the U.S. average |
| Boylston and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$7,266Highest 133% above U.S. |
$5,680 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northampton and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #72 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Epping School District | Berlin-Boylston | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | Epping High School | Tahanto Regional High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
9.3 |
11.1 |
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.