Compare towns
Hatfield vs Strafford vs Northampton
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).
Strafford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
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 | Strafford | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
4,306 |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5Highest 20% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1 19% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Hatfield and Strafford 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% |
17.6%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hatfield and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 10% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Strafford and Hatfield 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. |
$427,900±$29kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17k 29% above U.S. |
| Hatfield and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,635±$246Highest 16% above U.S. |
$1,439±$75 about the U.S. average |
| Strafford and Northampton 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. |
$6,086Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,680 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northampton 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Strafford School District | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | None in town | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.