Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Middleton vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Middleton | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,909 |
9,816Highest |
2,164Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
49±3.2 23% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bernardston and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,283±$553Lowest 27% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$4,516 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±15.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bernardston and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±6.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bernardston 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 | — | #71 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Middleton | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.