Compare towns
Northampton vs Ware 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Ware | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
10,048 |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
| Hadley and Ware 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% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Ware 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% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest 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±$6k 23% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% 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 | $5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,271 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 26% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Ware | Hadley |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.1 |
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.