Compare towns
Holyoke vs Upton vs South Hadley
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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Holyoke | Upton | South Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Highest |
8,189Lowest |
17,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.6±2.6 7% above MA |
| Upton and South Hadley 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| South Hadley and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$93,910±$15k 10% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$357,900±$19k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60 42% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,325±$54Highest 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065Lowest 32% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,500 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
24 min 19% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and South 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #216 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | South Hadley |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Blackstone Valley | South Hadley High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.2 |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.