Compare towns
Hatfield vs Stafford vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Stafford has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Stafford | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
11,511Highest |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 20% above U.S. |
46.7±4.8Lowest 20% above U.S. |
49.3±6.7Highest 27% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Stafford 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hatfield and Stafford 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. |
$93,235±$16k 15% above U.S. |
$116,563±$15kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Whately and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$263,800±$22kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$431,500±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Hatfield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,086±$85 23% below U.S. |
$977±$125Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Hatfield and Stafford 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. |
$5,131Highest 65% above U.S. |
$5,027 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.7%±29Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hatfield and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Whately 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 | #96 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Hatfield | Stafford School District | Whately |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | Stafford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
9.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.