Compare towns
Hatfield vs Plympton vs Whately
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 renters (25.4% rent).
Plympton has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Plympton | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Highest |
2,935 |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
46.4±4.2Lowest 16% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately 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% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Whately 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% |
22.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hatfield and Plympton 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 14% below MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
| Plympton and Whately 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 |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Plympton and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Highest 28% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$977±$125 45% below MA |
| Hatfield and Whately 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 |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Plympton 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hatfield | Plympton | Whately |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1 |
— | — |
| 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.