Compare towns

Deerfield vs Canton vs Berlin

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).

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.

MeasureDeerfieldCantonBerlin
People
Population
5,158
24,748Highest
3,378Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.7%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+13%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+10.2%
MA: +7.4%
Median age
51.8±3.6Highest
30% above MA
42.6±2.3Lowest
7% above MA
49.7±2.8
24% above MA
Deerfield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.2%±3.7Lowest
MA: 19.4%
22.9%±2.3Highest
MA: 19.4%
13.4%±4.5
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
22.9%±4.2
MA: 17.9%
18.8%±2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
30.1%±5.9Highest
MA: 17.9%
Berlin and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
67.5%Highest
MA: 47.3%
48.3%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
7.9%±3.4Highest
MA: 7.9%
4.5%±1
MA: 7.9%
4.3%±2.5Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Deerfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$106,136±$14kLowest
about the MA average
$143,381±$9kHighest
38% above MA
$121,336±$12k
17% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$414,900±$37kLowest
26% below MA
$710,600±$27kHighest
26% above MA
$616,600±$55k
10% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,334±$318Lowest
24% below MA
$2,315±$178
31% above MA
$2,420±$933Highest
37% above MA
Berlin and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,824Lowest
about the MA average
$6,560
9% above MA
$7,116Highest
19% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
26.1%±15.1Lowest
MA: 51.8%
52.4%±9.1
MA: 51.8%
52.6%±19.7Highest
MA: 51.8%
Berlin and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.8%Highest
MA: 10%
5.2%
MA: 10%
5%Lowest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.4%Highest
MA: 62.5%
73.6%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
77.3%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972Lowest
8 yrs newer than MA
1980
16 yrs newer than MA
1992Highest
28 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
40% below MA
36 minHighest
23% above MA
34 min
17% above MA
Work from home
17.5%±6.2Lowest
MA: 18.6%
25.7%±3.3
MA: 18.6%
29.1%±6.8Highest
MA: 18.6%
Berlin and Canton 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 #156 of 282 in MA #81 of 282 in MA #61 of 282 in MA
School district Deerfield · Frontier Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton Berlin-Boylston
High school in town Frontier Regional Canton High None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1Lowest
13.1Highest
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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.