Compare towns
Bernardston vs Pelham vs Greenfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bernardston has the oldest population (median age 49).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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 | Pelham | Greenfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,164 |
1,335Lowest |
17,664Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49±3.2Highest 23% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
44.6±2.1Lowest 12% above MA |
| Bernardston and Pelham 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% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Greenfield 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Greenfield and Bernardston 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 |
$113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA |
$55,614±$7kLowest 47% below MA |
| Pelham and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15k 41% below MA |
$447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
$263,100±$16kLowest 53% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553Highest 27% below MA |
$1,205±$560 32% below MA |
$1,107±$67Lowest 37% below MA |
| Bernardston and Pelham 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 |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$4,769 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2 MA: 51.8% |
63.2%±7.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Greenfield and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
15.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 33% below MA |
23 minHighest 21% below MA |
17 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #257 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pioneer Valley | Pelham | Greenfield |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Greenfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.