Compare towns
Deerfield vs Lee vs Montague
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 highest household income ($106k).
Lee has the oldest population (median age 55.2).
Montague has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
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 | Deerfield | Lee | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
5,719 |
8,482Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
44.3±3.1Lowest 11% above MA |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Montague and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
$83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
$70,510±$12kLowest 32% below MA |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kHighest 26% below MA |
$352,700±$19k 37% below MA |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$1,375±$212Highest 22% below MA |
$1,207±$115Lowest 31% below MA |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest about the MA average |
$3,980 34% below MA |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
18 min 38% below MA |
21 minHighest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Lee | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Lee Middle/High School | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
9.2Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.