Compare towns
Northampton vs Sutton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($231k 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 | Sutton | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
790Lowest |
5,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-11.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.6±5.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1 18% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hadley and Sutton 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% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest 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±$6k about the U.S. average |
$71,250±$18kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$119,259±$12kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 29% above U.S. |
$231,100±$41kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$511,000±$43kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,402±$132Lowest 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. |
$3,975Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,271 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Hadley 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest 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 | — | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Hadley |
| High school in town | Northampton High | None in town | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 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.