Compare towns
Maynard vs Cambridge vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Maynard has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
Cambridge has the most expensive homes ($1092k median).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Maynard | Cambridge | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,712 |
118,796Highest |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
| Hadley and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Maynard and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.2% MA: 47.3% |
80.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$130,748±$4kHighest 26% above MA |
$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
| Cambridge and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$1,092,100±$42kHighest 94% above MA |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$5,271 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Cambridge and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% MA: 10% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Cambridge and Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | Cambridge | Hadley |
| High school in town | Maynard High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Highest |
9.3 |
7.3Lowest |
| 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.