The Town FilesWhately, Massachusetts
Town in Franklin County · population 1,607 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $431,500
- Household income
- $116,563
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 49.3
Whately is a town of 1,607 people in Franklin County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $431,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Massachusetts towns, more of a college town than 94% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 87% of Massachusetts towns.
How Whately ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Whately is worth $431,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $116,563, which is more affordable than 84% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $977 a month. 88.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whately | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $431,500 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $977 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $116,563 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 88.2% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Whately
| People | Whately | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.3 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 20.4% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Whately
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 48.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.7 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whately since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 13, 1971 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 25, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on October 3, 1970.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| April 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4110: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3350: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 25,435 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,261 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Whately itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Whately
1 public school with 125 students, about 8.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whately Elementary | PK-6 | 125 | 8.3 |
Towns near Whately
- Hatfield, MA3.2 mi · 3,352 people · home $440,800
- South Deerfield, MA4.4 mi · 1,930 people · home $452,900
- Hatfield, MA4.5 mi · 1,453 people · home $459,900
- Williamsburg, MA4.6 mi · 2,504 people · home $403,100
- Sunderland, MA5.5 mi · 3,663 people · home $458,100
- Deerfield, MA6.2 mi · 5,090 people · home $414,900
- Conway, MA6.3 mi · 1,761 people · home $395,900
- Hadley, MA6.4 mi · 5,325 people · home $511,000
Whately questions
Is Whately, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whately scores better for retirees than 87% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 34%. 24.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.3).
How much does a house cost in Whately?
The median owner-occupied home in Whately is valued at $431,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $116,563, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $977 a month.
What is the weather like in Whately?
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 45.7 inches of snow.
Does Whately get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whately since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 13, 1971. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)