Compare towns
Hatfield vs Northampton vs Salisbury
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 most homeowners (74.6%).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
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 | Northampton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
30,962Highest |
5,656 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
51±6.9Highest 28% above MA |
| Salisbury and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northampton and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$92,469±$7kHighest 11% below MA |
| Salisbury and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$465,900±$31kHighest 17% below MA |
| Salisbury and Hatfield 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 |
$1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$1,770±$444Highest about the MA average |
| Salisbury 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 |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
65.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | Northampton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.