Compare towns
Hatfield vs Webster vs Hadley vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Webster | Hadley | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
12,228Highest |
5,306 |
3,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Berlin and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Hadley 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Hadley 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% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Webster 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 |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
$121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
| Berlin and Hadley 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 |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216 28% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Hadley 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 |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,271 12% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Berlin and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 30% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and Hadley 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | — | Hadley | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | — | Hopkins Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
— | 7.3Highest |
— |
| 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.