Compare towns
Northampton vs Ware vs Beverly
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Ware | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962 |
10,048Lowest |
42,665Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Northampton 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Beverly 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,044±$7kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,771±$106Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 5% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
9.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 26% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Beverly 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Ware | Beverly |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.