Compare towns
Northampton vs Sturbridge vs Easthampton
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%).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Easthampton has the most affordable homes ($372k 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 | Sturbridge | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
9,960Lowest |
16,086 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
46±2.6 15% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Easthampton 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% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton 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% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
38%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
| Northampton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 5% below MA |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Easthampton 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 26% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Sturbridge 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 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
7.7Lowest |
9.8 |
| 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.