Compare towns

Berlin vs Greenfield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Greenfield has the most affordable homes ($263k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MeasureBerlinGreenfield
People
Population
3,378Lowest
17,664Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.2%
MA: +7.4%
—
Median age
49.7±2.8Highest
24% above MA
44.6±2.1Lowest
12% above MA
Kids under 18
13.4%±4.5Lowest
MA: 19.4%
18.3%±1.9Highest
MA: 19.4%
Greenfield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
30.1%±5.9Highest
MA: 17.9%
23.4%±2.2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Berlin and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
48.3%Highest
MA: 47.3%
39.1%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.3%±2.5Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.7%±0.9Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Berlin and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$121,336±$12kHighest
17% above MA
$55,614±$7kLowest
47% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$616,600±$55kHighest
10% above MA
$263,100±$16kLowest
53% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,420±$933Highest
37% above MA
$1,107±$67Lowest
37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,116Highest
19% above MA
$4,769Lowest
20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.6%±19.7Lowest
MA: 51.8%
63.2%±7.3Highest
MA: 51.8%
Greenfield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5%Lowest
MA: 10%
15.2%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
77.3%Highest
MA: 62.5%
55.7%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1992Highest
28 yrs newer than MA
1947Lowest
17 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
17% above MA
17 minLowest
40% below MA
Work from home
29.1%±6.8Highest
MA: 18.6%
11.9%±2.4Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #61 of 282 in MA #257 of 282 in MA
School district Berlin-Boylston Greenfield
High school in town None in town Greenfield High
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.