What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hatfield	Pelham
People
Population	3,325Lowest	14,449Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.8±5Highest 20% above U.S.	41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Hatfield and Pelham 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%	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	23.3%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pelham and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,005±$25kLowest 10% above U.S.	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$440,800±$26kLowest 32% above U.S.	$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,267±$216Lowest 10% below U.S.	$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average
	Pelham and Hatfield 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.	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.6%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 23% below U.S.	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	16%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pelham 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	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Hatfield	Pelham School District
High school in town	Smith Academy	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	6.1Lowest	10.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.