Compare towns
Northampton vs Westborough vs Easthampton
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).
Westborough has the highest household income ($142k).
Easthampton has the most affordable homes ($372k 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 | Westborough | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Highest |
21,944 |
16,086Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+18%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
38.8±1.6Lowest 3% below MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
| Easthampton and Northampton 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% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton 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% MA: 47.3% |
65.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$141,944±$12kHighest 37% above MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17k 24% below MA |
$685,300±$31kHighest 22% above MA |
$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75 18% below MA |
$2,106±$151Highest 20% above MA |
$1,292±$70Lowest 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 5% below MA |
$9,983Highest 67% above MA |
$4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
40.9%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Easthampton 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% |
6.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
61.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 26% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
26.5%±3.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Westborough 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 | #21 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Westborough | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Westborough High | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.8 |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.