What stands out worked out from the figures below

Williamstown has the most people working from home (27.3%).

Hadley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).

Williamstown is a college town. 28.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Williamstown	Hadley
People
Population	9,150Highest	5,306Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+1.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA	45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	16.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9%	10.9%±5.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,650±$25kLowest about the MA average	$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$437,100±$39kLowest 22% below MA	$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA
	Hadley and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,584±$292Highest 10% below MA	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA
	Williamstown and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,290Highest 12% below MA	$5,271Lowest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.9%±15.4Highest MA: 51.8%	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Williamstown and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.2%Highest MA: 10%	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 45% below MA	20 minHighest 33% below MA
Work from home	27.3%±5.5Highest MA: 18.6%	20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Williamstown 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	#45 of 282 in MA	#116 of 282 in MA
School district	Mount Greylock	Hadley
High school in town	Mt Greylock Regional High	Hopkins Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	7.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.