Compare towns
Bernardston vs Marblehead vs Greenfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Greenfield has the most renters (44.3% rent).
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.
| Measure | Bernardston | Marblehead | Greenfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,164Lowest |
20,413Highest |
17,664 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49±3.2 23% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44.6±2.1Lowest 12% above MA |
| Marblehead and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Greenfield and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Marblehead and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,940±$10k 21% below MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$55,614±$7kLowest 47% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15k 41% below MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$263,100±$16kLowest 53% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553 27% below MA |
$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,107±$67Lowest 37% below MA |
| Marblehead and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,516Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,769 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
63.2%±7.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Greenfield and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
15.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 33% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
17 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #47 of 282 in MA | #257 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pioneer Valley | Marblehead | Greenfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Marblehead High | Greenfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.