Compare towns
Deerfield vs Reading vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the highest household income ($106k).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Montague has the most affordable homes ($282k 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.
| Measure | Deerfield | Reading | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158 |
699Lowest |
8,482Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
44.3±3.1Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Montague and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Montague 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 31% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$70,510±$12kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$282,100±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,207±$115 15% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.6%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montague and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Deerfield 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 | — | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.