Compare towns
Hatfield vs Northampton vs Upton vs Williamsburg
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Williamsburg has the most people working from home (26.5%).
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 | Upton | Williamsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325 |
30,962Highest |
8,189 |
2,694Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50±2.4Highest 25% above MA |
| Williamsburg 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% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Williamsburg 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% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Williamsburg 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
60.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$104,792±$21k about the MA average |
| Upton and Williamsburg 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±$17k 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$403,100±$37kLowest 28% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216 28% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,420±$228 19% below MA |
| Northampton and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$5,680 5% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,761 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
61%±28Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Williamsburg 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.2% 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 |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
25 min 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.5%±6.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Williamsburg and Northampton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hatfield | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Williamsburg |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | Northampton High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.