Compare towns
Holyoke vs Hadley vs Fall River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Hadley has the highest household income ($119k).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Holyoke | Hadley | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813 |
5,306Lowest |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6 about the MA average |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Hadley and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
$56,673±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,402±$132Highest 20% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 32% below MA |
$5,271Highest 12% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
20 min 33% below MA |
26 minHighest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hadley and Holyoke 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Hadley | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Hopkins Academy | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
7.3Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.