Compare towns
Lenox vs Northampton vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lenox has the highest household income ($106k).
Northampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
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 | Lenox | Northampton | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,079Lowest |
30,962Highest |
5,719 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
55.2±5.8 38% above MA |
| Lenox and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northampton and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Lenox and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,080±$31kHighest about the MA average |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
| Lenox and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $466,700±$43kHighest 17% below MA |
$429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
| Lenox and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$238Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
| Northampton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,299 12% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 22% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Lenox 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 | #90 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lenox | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Lee |
| High school in town | Lenox Memorial High | Northampton High | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
9.2 |
| 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.