Compare towns
Hatfield vs Reading vs Buckland
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Buckland has the most affordable homes ($321k median).
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 | Reading | Buckland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
25,612Highest |
2,036Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-4.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
49.5±5.4Highest 24% above MA |
| Buckland 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Buckland 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% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Buckland 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% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hatfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$82,877±$6kLowest 20% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$321,400±$25kLowest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216 28% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,111±$213Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930 18% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,761Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Buckland 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #198 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hatfield | Reading | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | Reading Memorial High | Mohawk Trail Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
9.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.