What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the highest household income ($125k).

Northampton has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Mansfield	Northampton
People
Population	23,931Lowest	30,962Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±1.3Highest 4% above MA	41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA
	Mansfield and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	62.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA	$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA	$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,803±$147Highest about the MA average	$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,226Highest 21% above MA	$5,680Lowest 5% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	13.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	21 minLowest 26% below MA
Work from home	20%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Northampton and Mansfield 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	#60 of 282 in MA	#159 of 282 in MA
School district	Mansfield	Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural
High school in town	Mansfield High	Northampton High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	14.7Highest
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.