Compare towns
Hatfield vs Sterling 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).
Sterling has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Sterling | Williamsburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
8,183Highest |
2,694Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5Lowest 17% above MA |
51.5±1.8Highest 29% above MA |
50±2.4 25% above MA |
| Sterling and Williamsburg 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% |
18.6%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Sterling 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% |
48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Williamsburg 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 14% below MA |
$129,063±$27kHighest 24% above MA |
$104,792±$21k about the MA average |
| Sterling 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 |
$498,800±$48kHighest 11% below MA |
$403,100±$37kLowest 28% below MA |
| Sterling and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,699±$161Highest 4% below MA |
$1,420±$228 19% below MA |
| Sterling 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 |
$6,757Highest 13% above MA |
$5,761 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1 MA: 51.8% |
61%±28Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Williamsburg and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
25 min 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
26.5%±6.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Williamsburg and Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hatfield | Wachusett | Williamsburg |
| 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 History | 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.