Compare towns
South Hadley vs Needham vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Hadley has the most affordable homes ($358k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | South Hadley | Needham | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,754 |
32,459Highest |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.6Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
| Hadley and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,910±$15kLowest 10% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,900±$19kLowest 36% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$54Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,500 8% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 19% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.3%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #216 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | South Hadley | — | Hadley |
| High school in town | South Hadley High | — | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Highest |
— | 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.