"Healthy Motion Award" from Mass. Executive Office of Health & Human Services and Transportation & Public Works, for commitment to improving bike and pedestrian access, December 2007
"Great Places in America" Award from American Planning Association for Main Street, fall 2007
"Top Adventure Town in Massachusetts," National Geographic Adventure Magazine, September 2007
#1, Best Place for Retirees, reported in the New York Times, May 4, 2007
Common Cause "Campaign for Open Government Award" 2007. www.maopengov.org/
Commonwealth Capital, top scoring community in the Commonwealth on Smart Growth measures, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
“Top 25 Arts Destinations” by American Style Magazine, 2000 - 2007
Retailers Association of Massachusetts Award of Excellence for the Best Downtown Shopping District, 2006
Tree City U.S.A. Designation, 2005, 2006
"Ten Great Places to Revel in Cinematic Grandeur", the historic Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, as reported in USA Today, January 2005's review of Cinema Treasures: A New Look At Classic Movie Theaters by Ross Melnick and Andreas Fuchs
"Top 100 Best Places to Live", by CNN Money Magazine, 2005. Northampton ranked number 80 on the list.
"Excellence in Community Development and Affordable Housing" by Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations to Northampton Mayor, Mary Clare Higgins, November 2002
“Great Public Spaces – Main Street, Northampton, MA” by Project for Public Spaces, 2001 and Utne Reader, January 2002
"Outstanding Planning Award for Social Advocacy" by American Planning Association, 2002
“Best Places To Live – Big Small Towns” by Boston Magazine, April 2001
“America’s Great Outside Towns – Dream Towns 2001” by Outside Magazine, September 2001
“A Dozen Distinctive Destinations” by National Trust for Historic Preservation, April 2001, www.nationaltrust.org/dozen_distinctive_destinations/2001/
“100 Best School Districts in the U.S.” by Offspring: The Magazine of Smart Parenting, September/October 2000
“Number One Best Small Arts Town in America” by author John Villani, 2000
“Top 10 Family Friendly Towns” by Parenting Magazine, May 1997
