Compare towns
Williamstown vs Hadley vs Boxborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williamstown has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Hadley has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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.
| Measure | Williamstown | Hadley | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,150Highest |
5,306Lowest |
5,496 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
42.7±1.6 7% above MA |
| Hadley and Boxborough 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%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Boxborough and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,650±$25kLowest about the MA average |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
$144,611±$35kHighest 39% above MA |
| Boxborough and Hadley 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±$43k 9% below MA |
$706,900±$72kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,584±$292 10% below MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
| Boxborough and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,290 12% below MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.4 MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Boxborough and Williamstown 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% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 45% below MA |
20 min 33% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.3%±5.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9Lowest 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 | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mount Greylock | Hadley | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Mt Greylock Regional High | Hopkins Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
7.3Lowest |
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| 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.