Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
37% of residents are 65 or older in Hawley, where Massachusetts’ towns sit at 19% and U.S. towns at 18%. No town among the 284 in Massachusetts we compare has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Hawley. 58% of the land in Hawley is conserved, above both Massachusetts’ towns (19%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest, 6,260 acres with 38.2 miles of trail. Hawley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Hawley beats most towns.
Census counts: 539 in 1790, a peak of 881 in 1850, 353 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1938 and 6 maps from 1886 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hawley. Close and well known come first.
14 mi MountainMount Greylock
36 mi National Historic SiteSpringfield Armory National Historic Site14K visitors a year
34 mi LakeQuabbin Reservoir
18 mi MuseumClark Art Institute
40 mi Theme parkSix Flags New England
26 mi TheatreTanglewoodMount Greylock: Jstergis, CC BY 3.0 · Springfield Armory National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Quabbin Reservoir: engineerchange, CC BY 2.0 · Clark Art Institute: Daderot, Public domain · Six Flags New England: Canadaolympic989, Public domain · Tanglewood: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hawley, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Hawley.
83 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Hawley’s trail density is 2.7 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest | 38.2 mi | 6,260 |
| 2. Hawley Bog Preserve | 0.5 mi | 92 |
| 3. Hawks Brook Wildlife Management Area | 0.1 mi | 254 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
People 65 and older are 37% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 9% of residents (24% statewide). The median age in Hawley is 56.8 years. 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 47% across Massachusetts.
| Hawley | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.8 years | 43.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 47% | 29% |
Somewhere between 38% and 81% women
The Census survey reached too few of Hawley’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±21.5 points. Across Massachusetts, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Hawley | MA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.5% | 10.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 2.2% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.5% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.9% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.4% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.5% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.8% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.3% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 19.9% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.2% | 8.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.1% | 22.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 7.7% | 14.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18.6% | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.9% | 25.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 24.4% | 21.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
The typical Hawley home is worth about $349,000, up 1.3% in a year, 47% below the Massachusetts typical home. 94% of Hawley households own their home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Hawley for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in Hawley grew to 40 in 2023, 31 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Greenfield (14%), Charlemont (10%) and Shelburne (5%).
| Hawley | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $88,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 6% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Hawley since 2011.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Among 284 Massachusetts towns, just 7 have a lower July high than Hawley. Hawley has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Hawley beats the Massachusetts average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 26% of adults have obesity in Hawley.
| Hawley | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 28% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 32% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 82% | 79% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Hawley | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.6% | 11.1% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.8% | 12.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 8% | 5.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
2 within 15 miles of the center of Hawley
About 2 of every 100 Hawley residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Town in Massachusetts, United States
Hawley is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 353 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hawley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
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