Compare towns
Middlefield vs Dudley vs Hawley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
Hawley has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Middlefield | Dudley | Hawley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 352 |
11,929Highest |
277Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
56.8±7.2 42% above MA |
| Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10 MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
39.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
$87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
| Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$309,600±$38kLowest 45% below MA |
| Dudley and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA |
— |
| Middlefield and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,097 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Hawley and Middlefield 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | — |
| High school in town | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— |
| 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.