Compare towns
Northampton vs Wareham vs Hatfield 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 most people working from home (24.1%).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k median).
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 | Wareham | Hatfield | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,962 |
23,302 |
3,325Lowest |
42,665Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Wareham and Hatfield 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% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Beverly and Northampton 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Hatfield 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$106,044±$7kHighest about the MA average |
| Beverly and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,771±$106Highest about the MA average |
| Beverly and Wareham 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 |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,930 18% below MA |
$6,836Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Beverly 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% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 26% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Wareham | Hatfield | Beverly |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Wareham Senior High | Smith Academy | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
8.6 |
6.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.