Compare towns
Northampton vs Berlin vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 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.
| Measure | Northampton | Berlin | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
3,378Lowest |
5,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
| Berlin and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hadley and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Northampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
| Berlin and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
$511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
| Berlin and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 5% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 26% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Berlin-Boylston | Hadley |
| High school in town | Northampton High | None in town | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 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.