Compare towns
Northampton vs Swampscott 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 renters (42.7% rent).
Swampscott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Hatfield has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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 | Swampscott | Hatfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
15,277 |
3,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
46.8±5Highest 17% above MA |
| Hatfield and Swampscott 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% |
20.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Swampscott 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% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield 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% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$134,386±$23kHighest 29% above MA |
$89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
| Swampscott 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 |
$771,100±$41kHighest 37% above MA |
$440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$2,303±$143Highest 31% above MA |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 5% below MA |
$7,936Highest 32% above MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Swampscott 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% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 26% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Swampscott and Northampton 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Swampscott | Hatfield |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Swampscott High | Smith Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.7 |
6.1Lowest |
| 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.