2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Northampton, MA vs Arcata, CA

#4 Best Green Cities

#6 Best Cities for Teleworking - Small Metro Areas

#9 America’s Best (and Worst) Cities for Dating

#12 Most Competitive Private Colleges

#17 The Most Single Cities

#20 The Most (and Least) Gender Imbalanced Cities

#30 Most Comfortable Summer Cities

#33 2005 High Gas Prices

#47 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Large Metro Areas)

#63 High Gas Prices - Which Cities are Hit the Hardest?

#63 America's Most (and Least) Stressful Cities (100 Largest Metro Areas)

#71 Drought-Riskiest Cities

#89 America's Migraine Hot Spots

#251 2005 Best Places to Live

I was born in Northampton in the 1960"s and have lived other places but always came back to live here. My two children were born here too. What draws be back to  More

The greater Northampton, MA area is generally a pretty good place to live, if you're interested in Western MA or southern New England in general. MA is more affordable  More

Northampton is a very progressive, diverse, liberal small city where you will find so much to do in just the downtown area alone. Music, shopping, restaurants, bars,  More

Pros: Nature hikes Cons: One of highest crime rates in the nation. Opioid epidemic going on (you’ll regularly witness drug deals and ppl doing drugs) No  More

It takes a special set of preferences to select Arcata. Is this you? - You love clouds and fog. You are happy if you see the sun maybe 10-20 times a year. - Chilly  More

I've lived in Humboldt for over 30 yrs and know all the areas well. Arcata is the jewel of Humboldt due to having a university and many liberal creative people. There is  More