Compare towns
Northampton vs Ogunquit vs Needham vs Hatfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Hatfield 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 | Ogunquit | Needham | Hatfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,962 |
1,379Lowest |
32,459Highest |
3,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
46.8±5 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$89,005±$25k 10% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$440,800±$26k 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 about the U.S. average |
— | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,267±$216Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 82% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,930 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.6%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — | — | Hatfield |
| High school in town | Northampton High | — | — | Smith Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 6.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.