Northampton, Massachusetts Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Northampton, MA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top grade
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C
Income Below average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Northampton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,986 | 7,031,620 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 866.8 | 666.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.07% | 0.53% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.4 | 39.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 13,477 | 2,777,931 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Northampton grew by 8.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 30,986 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Northampton is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 26.7% of residents. That is 5.2 points above Massachusetts as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,277 26.7% +5.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 6,076 19.6% -2.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,405 20.7% -0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,583 18.0% +0.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Massachusetts, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 57.3% of the people living in Northampton and men 42.7%.
- Women 57.3% Massachusetts 51.2%
- Men 42.7% Massachusetts 48.8%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Northampton
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Northampton has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Northampton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,289 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.44% | 4.91% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Northampton is about 22% lower than in Massachusetts.
Housing
| Metric | Northampton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $427,564 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,438 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 62.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Northampton is about 24.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,438 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Northampton spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 152 hours, about 6.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Northampton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.2 | 25.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 36.4 | 51.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 152 | 213 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,708 | $6,603 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 24.1% | 18.6% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 13,071 | 14,741 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,107 | 2,164 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Northampton is 18 minutes, shorter than the 26 minutes in Massachusetts.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Northampton has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Northampton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.9% | 42.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.03 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Northampton has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Northampton | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.2 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.2% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.8% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Northampton, MA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Northampton, MA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton, MA | 30,986 | $81,289 #1/3 | $427,564 #2/3 | 18.2 min #2/3 |
| Holyoke, MA | 37,770 | $55,443 | $217,923 | 18.6 min |
| Amherst Town, MA | 38,191 | $68,751 | $450,000 | 15.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Northampton, Massachusetts.
What is the population of Northampton, Massachusetts?
About 30,986 people live in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 13,477 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 41.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Northampton, Massachusetts urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Northampton, Massachusetts has 867 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 10 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Northampton, Massachusetts?
The median home costs 5.3 times the median household income ($427,564 against $81,289), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,438 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Northampton, Massachusetts have a college degree?
54.9% of adults in Northampton, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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