Compare towns
Northampton vs Upton vs Hadley
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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Hadley 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 | Upton | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
8,189 |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
| Upton 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Upton 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 23% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
| Upton and Hadley 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
| Upton and Hadley 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
| Northampton and Hadley 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 26% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hadley |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Blackstone Valley | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.2 |
7.3Lowest |
| 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.