01053 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01062
01053
Opportunity
70 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 17%
Growth
41 · Bottom 36%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs82 · Top 47%
Access
99 · Top 16%
vs97 · Top 24%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 41%
vs60 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 01062 | 01053 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,816 | 2,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,588 | $92,582 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,787 | $52,415 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 562/sq mi | 401/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $421,000 | $356,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,161 | $1,678 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.8% | 77.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.0% | 61.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.5% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 28 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -54.1% | -54.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.4 | 52.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.10 | 9.37 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
01062
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
01053
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 01062 — Northampton, MA · 01053 — Northampton, MA · How this is calculated: methodology