What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hawley has the most kids (17.7% under 18).

Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hawley	Middlefield
People
Population	277Lowest	352Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-26.1% MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.8±7.2Lowest 42% above MA	56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA
	Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.7%±10Highest MA: 19.4%	4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hawley and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%	28.7%±8.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Hawley and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	31.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	2.8%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,500±$26kLowest 16% below MA	$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average
	Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$309,600±$38kLowest 45% below MA	$332,800±$48kHighest 41% below MA
	Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,625±$1k 49% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,097Lowest 32% below MA	$4,926Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%
	Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%	12.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	19.3%±12.6Highest MA: 18.6%	13.2%±9.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Hawley and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.