Compare towns
Natick vs Northampton vs Cochituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
Cochituate has the most people working from home (36.9%).
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 | Natick | Northampton | Cochituate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,873Highest |
30,962 |
6,471Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
45.8±2.3Highest 15% above MA |
| Cochituate and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Cochituate and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.8% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
77%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$192,361±$18kHighest 85% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$906,300±$42kHighest 61% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA |
$1,582±$649 10% below MA |
| Natick and Cochituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,914 49% above MA |
$5,680Lowest 5% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±6.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±14.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.9%±5.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Natick | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — |
| High school in town | Natick High | Northampton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.