Compare towns
Northampton vs Plainville vs Hadley
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 people working from home (24.1%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Plainville | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
17,551 |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Hadley and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hadley and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±5.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$119,259±$12kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 29% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$511,000±$43kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,402±$132 about the U.S. average |
| 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 82% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,271 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Plainville 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% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 19% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Hadley |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Plainville High School | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.4 |
7.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.