Northampton, MA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Massachusetts·Northampton

Hampshire County · Springfield · population 31,315

Northampton, MA
Image: Wikipedia · Northampton, Massachusetts
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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74
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Northampton stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $491,849
1-year +3.9%
5-yr CAGR +5.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +1.4%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$492k$269k$350k$431k$512k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
79/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,361/mo$2,008$2,275$2,54320242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent10310810020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.4
Lean buy

At a 17.4 price-to-rent ratio, Northampton is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
70 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
69 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
72 · w16%
Rent YoY
78 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
64 · w10%
Long thesis

Northampton has held up across the cycle: home values at $491,849 with +5.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Northampton's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Northampton

Northampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 31,315. It anchors the Springfield metro area. The population grew 1.4% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Northampton is $491,849 as of 2026-04, up 3.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Northampton average $2,361 per month, up 5.0% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 74 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.9% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +3.9% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Net positive migration: population up 1.4% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Northampton (Wikipedia)

Northampton is a city in and the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Northampton was 29,571.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Hampshire County right now.

NWS active alerts (MA)Massachusetts Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Hampshire County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Northampton

Taunton, MA68 · RisingNewburyport, MA74 · RisingBeverly, MA67 · RisingAttleboro, MA71 · Rising

Run the numbers for Northampton

ToolCan I afford Northampton?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Northampton rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Northampton to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolNorthampton cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
48″ rain
43″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Northampton listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Springfield area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$96,500
Massachusetts state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechBiotechEducation/Healthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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