City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Northampton, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Northampton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

28,640
Residents
$78,467
Median income
$398,000
Median home
$2,004
Median rent (state)

Northampton - the verdict

Nationally, Northampton sits in the 60th percentile for household income and the 39th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
39th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Northampton, MA

Massachusetts's Northampton is a small city, with 28,640 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Northampton brings in $78,467 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.9%. Typical homes in Northampton are valued around $398,000, and the median resident age is 41.7 years. About 61.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 58 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 93% from five years earlier. Northampton reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1717.2 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Massachusetts at 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,004 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $330 across Massachusetts, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 69.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

28,640 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$78,467 /yr

Poverty 7.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Northampton compare to other US cities?

Where Northampton sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities
Safety 39% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Massachusetts, Northampton ranks #127 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Northampton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Northampton toward the top of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Northampton ranks #55 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Northampton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#170 of 233
27th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#166 of 247
31st percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#173 of 240
28th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#65 of 247
74th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#55 of 247
78th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

60thIncome percentile
39thSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 39th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Northampton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Northampton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 40 Avg. percentile National median
Northampton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Northampton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$398,000 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Northampton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Northampton, MA Northampton, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Northampton, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Northampton, MA median $78,467/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Northampton, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Northampton, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 61.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
28,640
Median Income
$78,467
Median Home Value
$398,000
Median Age
41.7
Poverty Rate
7.9%
Labor force participation
58.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
61.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1717.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
445.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1272.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
29,000 residents30,000 residents31,000 residents32,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 29,299 residents 31,047 residents ▲ +6.0%
Northampton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
58
housing units authorized
Single-Family
36
detached homes
Multifamily
22
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 30
2020 29
2021 34
2022 37
2023 44
2024 58

Permit volume increased 93% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
59.7%
Carpool
5.2%
Public Transit
2.9%
Walk
8.7%
Work from Home
21.9%
Other
1.6%

Based on 14,281 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Northampton sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,004/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
69.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

West Springfield
28,635 people
Bridgewater
28,669 people
Saugus
28,599 people
Agawam
28,510 people
Milton
28,481 people
Danvers
27,924 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Northampton's 28,640 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Newburgh, NY
28,649 people
Carney, MD
28,624 people
Danville, IL
28,663 people
Slidell, LA
28,664 people
Daphne, AL
28,673 people
East Niles, CA
28,586 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Northampton's $78,467 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Elk Rapids, MI
$78,472 median income
Agricola, MS
$78,462 median income
Cottage City, MD
$78,456 median income
Cowley, WY
$78,456 median income
River Road, OR
$78,479 median income
Reno, NV
$78,448 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Northampton, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Northampton, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.9% 6.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.5% White 82.9% Black or African American 2.1% Asian 3.8% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 6.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Northampton compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Northampton (this city) 28,640 $78,467
West Springfield 28,635 $70,401
Bridgewater 28,669 $112,482
Saugus 28,599 $100,819
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Northampton, MA?

What is the population of Northampton, MA? +

Northampton, MA has a population of 28,640 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Northampton, MA? +

The median household income in Northampton is $78,467 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Northampton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Northampton; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Northampton, MA safe? +

Northampton has a total crime rate of 1717.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Northampton, MA? +

Northampton's median home value sits at $398,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.