Compare towns
Buckland vs Gill vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckland has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Gill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Sheffield has the most expensive homes ($409k 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.
| Measure | Buckland | Gill | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,036 |
1,740Lowest |
3,330Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.4Highest 24% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
48.2±8 21% above MA |
| Buckland and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19%±8.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Buckland and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±4.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,877±$6kLowest 20% below MA |
$90,208±$14k 13% below MA |
$92,120±$31kHighest 11% below MA |
| Sheffield and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,400±$25kLowest 43% below MA |
$340,100±$17k 39% below MA |
$409,400±$32kHighest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$213Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,193±$246 32% below MA |
$1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
| Sheffield and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,761Highest 21% below MA |
$4,318Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,520 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
21 min 29% below MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gill and Buckland 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 | — | — | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Gill-Montague | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | Mohawk Trail Regional School | None in town | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Highest |
— | 7.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.