What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).

North Adams has the most affordable homes ($196k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brooklyn	North Adams
People
Population	8,517Lowest	12,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-5.4% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S.	44.1±3.5Lowest 13% above U.S.
	Brooklyn and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%	15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Brooklyn and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	North Adams and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S.	$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$315,200±$28kHighest 5% below U.S.	$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$98Highest 20% below U.S.	$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,538Highest 45% above U.S.	$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	North Adams and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	17 minLowest 34% below U.S.
Work from home	10.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brooklyn and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#113 of 149 in CT	#268 of 282 in MA
School district	Brooklyn School District	North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	None in town	Charles McCann Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.