Northampton, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Northampton, MA Summary

Cost of living in Northampton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Northampton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Northampton is 124, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Northampton is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Northampton ranks as the #29 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.

  • Northampton ranks as the #4,654 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Northampton is $475,058.

  • The median income in Northampton is $78,467.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
124
Northampton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Northampton, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Northampton has an overall cost of living index of 124, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Northampton has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Massachusetts's index of 134.

The standard of living in Northampton ranks as #29 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Northampton ranks as the #83 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Northampton, check out:

29 out of 112
In Massachusetts
4,654 out of 6,489
In America

Northampton Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Northampton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Northampton is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Northampton is 103.

  • The Health index in Northampton is 105.

  • The Housing index in Northampton is 164.

  • The Transportation index in Northampton is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Northampton is 125.

Living Expense Northampton Massachusetts National Average
Overall 124 134 100
Services 106 121 100
Groceries 103 106 100
Health 105 112 100
Housing 164 164 100
Transportation 95 120 100
Utilities 125 136 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Northampton Cost of Living Vs. MA

Northampton, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Northampton is $475,058.

  • The Median Rent in Northampton is $1,404.

  • The Median Income in Northampton is $78,467.

  • The Home Value To Income in Northampton is 6.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Northampton is 0.21x.

Statistic Northampton Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $475,058 $649,115 $303,400
Median Rent $1,404 $1,687 $1,348
Median Income $78,467 $101,341 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.1x 6.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.2x 0.21x
$475,058
Median Home Value
$1,404
Median Rent
$78,467
Median Income

Northampton, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Northampton Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northampton Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.42 $1.28
Movie $12.85 $12.13
Bowling $18.33 $18
Haircut $33.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $58.55 $45.56

Detailed Northampton Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northampton Massachusetts
Ground Beef $6.23 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $4.96 $4.93
Pizza $10.79 $12.09
Beer $10.49 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Northampton Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northampton Massachusetts
Optometrist $166.22 $125.68
Doctor $182.5 $135.78
Dentist $127.0 $113.29

Detailed Northampton Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northampton Massachusetts
Gasoline $3.34 $3.46
Tire Balancing $71.63 $59.92

Detailed Northampton Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northampton Massachusetts
All Electricity $302.09 $193.99
Phone $185.16 $192.25

Northampton SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Northampton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Northampton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Springfield, MA has a cost of living index of 104, 0.8x Northampton.

  • Chicopee, MA has a cost of living index of 107, 0.9x Northampton.

  • Westfield, MA has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x Northampton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Northampton
Springfield, MA 154,751 104 0.8x
Chicopee, MA 55,213 107 0.9x
Westfield, MA 40,673 113 0.9x
Holyoke, MA 37,949 106 0.9x
West Springfield, VA 22,905 153 1.2x

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