What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

Williamstown has the most affordable homes ($437k median).

Williamstown is a college town. 28.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Concord	Williamstown
People
Population	18,223Highest	9,150Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.6±2Highest 19% above MA	37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4%	15.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	23.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Williamstown and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	79.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	70.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA	$106,650±$25kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA	$437,100±$39kLowest 22% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA	$1,584±$292Lowest 10% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$5,290Lowest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%	48.9%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Concord and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%	11.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA	1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 11% above MA	16 minLowest 45% below MA
Work from home	36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6%	27.3%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Concord and Williamstown 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	#10 of 282 in MA	#45 of 282 in MA
School district	Concord · Concord-Carlisle	Mount Greylock
High school in town	Concord Carlisle High	Mt Greylock Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	11.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.