Compare towns

Canton vs Greenfield

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most expensive homes ($711k median).
Greenfield has the most affordable homes ($263k 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.

MeasureCantonGreenfield
People
Population
24,748Highest
17,664Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13%
MA: +7.4%
—
Median age
42.6±2.3Lowest
7% above MA
44.6±2.1Highest
12% above MA
Greenfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.9%±2.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
18.3%±1.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
18.8%±2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
23.4%±2.2Highest
MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
67.5%Highest
MA: 47.3%
39.1%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.7%±0.9Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Canton and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$143,381±$9kHighest
38% above MA
$55,614±$7kLowest
47% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$710,600±$27kHighest
26% above MA
$263,100±$16kLowest
53% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,315±$178Highest
31% above MA
$1,107±$67Lowest
37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,560Highest
9% above MA
$4,769Lowest
20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.4%±9.1Lowest
MA: 51.8%
63.2%±7.3Highest
MA: 51.8%
Greenfield and Canton 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%
15.2%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%Highest
MA: 62.5%
55.7%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
16 yrs newer than MA
1947Lowest
17 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
23% above MA
17 minLowest
40% below MA
Work from home
25.7%±3.3Highest
MA: 18.6%
11.9%±2.4Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #81 of 282 in MA #257 of 282 in MA
School district Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton Greenfield
High school in town Canton High Greenfield High
Students per teacherat that high school
13.1Highest
10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.