Whately offers rural living between Northampton and Greenfield
The town of Whately is a Pioneer Valley community where residents can enjoy quiet living in a rural setting full of natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor recreation. "Whately is a nice, small farming sort of town," says Linda Webster, an associate real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Community Realtors. Incorporated in 1771, Whately historically relied on agriculture and industrial mills to support its economy. Although there are still plenty of farms around today, the town has shifted to become more of a bedroom community. "It's a nice place to live if you want to be close to the highways for commuting, and you're only 10 minutes from Northampton in certain areas,” Webster says. Interstate 91 and U.S. Route 5 pass through the town, leading 12 miles north to Greenfield and 9 miles south to Northampton. As of the 2020 U.S. census, Whately’s population included just over 1,600 residents.
Mix of 20th-century builds and older homes on wooded lots
Most of Whately’s homes were built during the 20th century, but properties here can date back as far as 1800. Farmhouses, ranch-style homes and Craftsman builds are common and typically sit on spacious lots . Old-growth trees and foliage often surround properties and provide an extra layer of privacy. Aside from investment properties, most single-family homes in Whately range from $270,000 to $650,000, although a handful of estates with multiple acres of land have cost as much as $830,000.
Whately Elementary School is ranked best in Franklin County by Niche
Local students in prekindergarten through sixth grade can attend Whately Elementary School, which receives an A-minus rating from Niche, which ranked it as the top elementary school in Franklin County in 2025. Frontier Regional School is a combined middle and high school that serves seventh through 12th-grade students from several towns in the area, including Whately. The school is rated B-plus and offers the Frontier Pathways program that provides specialized training in one of six different professional fields of the student’s choosing.
Trail systems and waterways support active lifestyles
Whately’s rural landscape makes it an ideal location for outdoor recreation. The town encompasses three wildlife management areas (WMAs)—the Great Swamp WMA, Whately WMA and MassWildlife’s Mount Esther WMA—all of which feature hiking trails and scenic overlooks. Locals can also explore trail systems in Whately Center Woods and Conway State Forest. Several brooks and creeks flow from the hills in western Whately and feed into the Connecticut River. On the banks of the river is Herlihy Park, which features a baseball field complex, a covered picnic pavilion and soccer equipment.
Local dining in Whately, everyday shopping in Northampton
Whately is a primarily residential community with limited retail and dining options. For weekly errands and grocery runs, residents can drive to Northampton’s shopping malls, big-box stores and supermarkets in less than 20 minutes. Northampton also has a well-developed, walkable downtown area where various boutiques, eateries, performing arts venues and small businesses pack the town’s Main Street. Of the few restaurants in Whately, the Whately Inn is a favorite for locals and out-of-towners alike: "It’s probably the most famous restaurant in the area," Webster says. Housed in a colonial-style building with a wraparound porch, the inn serves gourmet French cuisine and dishes like frog's legs Provencal and roast duckling bigarade. Webster says that the Whately Diner, just off of Interstate 91, is another popular option for those passing through the area and for locals who want to grab a quick bite. The diner’s unique 1950s-style exterior and retro decorations help it stand out as an iconic local spot. Whately also has a handful of community farms that sell various seasonal products, including maple syrup and fresh fruit.
Access to Interstate 91 and U.S. Route 5
As a car-dependent community, Whately residents have easy access to major thoroughfares like Interstate 91 and U.S. Route 5, two north-south highways that travel parallel to one another. The rest of the town’s roads are low-traffic backcountry streets that trace their way through the area’s rural, hilly landscape. The nearest commercial airport, Bradley International Airport, is about an hour-long drive away. Cooley Dickson Hospital has a 24-hour emergency room and is located 8 miles from Whately.
