Compare towns
Holyoke vs Stow vs Easthampton
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 renters (58.7% rent).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Easthampton has the oldest population (median age 46).
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 | Stow | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Highest |
7,165Lowest |
16,086 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
| Easthampton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Holyoke 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$71,673±$7k 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065Lowest 32% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,932 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow 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% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #281 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Nashoba | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | None in town | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.