Compare towns
Northampton vs Gardner 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 people working from home (24.1%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Hadley has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Gardner | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
21,148 |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
| Hadley and Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Northampton 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest 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±$6k 23% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
| Northampton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,271 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 26% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Hadley 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Gardner | Hadley |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Gardner High | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
13.5 |
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.