Compare towns
Northampton vs Rowley vs Hatfield
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%).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
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 | Rowley | Hatfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
6,251 |
3,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
| Rowley and Hatfield 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% |
19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Rowley 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% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$132,734±$32kHighest 28% above MA |
$89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
| Rowley and Hatfield 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 |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
| Rowley 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 |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Northampton 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% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 26% below MA |
28 minHighest 3% below MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Hatfield 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Triton | Hatfield |
| High school in town | Northampton High | None in town | Smith Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 6.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.