Compare towns
Hatfield vs Ware vs Whately vs Northampton
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).
Ware has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Ware | Whately | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325 |
6,369 |
1,499Lowest |
30,962Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
41.3±2.2 3% 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7 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% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
| Whately 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 22% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
| 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±$216 28% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
| Northampton and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930 18% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
27 minHighest 9% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Whately 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | — | Whately | 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 | 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.