Compare towns
Whately vs Northampton vs Hatfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Northampton has the most renters (42.7% rent).
Hatfield 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 | Whately | Northampton | Hatfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,499Lowest |
30,962Highest |
3,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Whately and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
| Whately and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$440,800±$26kHighest 22% below MA |
| Hatfield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,267±$216 28% below MA |
| Northampton and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027 16% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 21% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Whately 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 | #198 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whately | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Hatfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Northampton High | Smith Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
6.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.