Compare towns
Northampton vs Douglas vs Beverly
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k median).
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 | Douglas | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962 |
9,207Lowest |
42,665Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Douglas and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Northampton and Beverly 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$106,044±$7k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,771±$106Highest about the MA average |
| Beverly and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680Lowest 5% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Beverly 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 26% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Beverly 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Douglas | Beverly |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Douglas High School | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
7.2Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.