What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).

Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).

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	Newfields	Northampton
People
Population	2,023Lowest	30,962Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S.	41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Newfields and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Newfields and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	62.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Northampton and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.	$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.	$429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S.	$1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,680Lowest 82% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northampton and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	21 minLowest 19% below U.S.
Work from home	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	24.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Newfields and Northampton 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	—	#159 of 282 in MA
School district	Newfields School District	Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural
High school in town	None in town	Northampton High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.