Compare towns
Deerfield vs Washington 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 most people working from home (17.5%).
Washington has the most homeowners (92.5%).
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 | Washington | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158 |
526Lowest |
8,482Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
56.5±7.7Highest 41% above MA |
44.3±3.1Lowest 11% above MA |
| Washington and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Montague and Washington 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% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 about the MA average |
$95,278±$12k 8% below MA |
$70,510±$12kLowest 32% below MA |
| Deerfield and Washington 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 |
$370,700±$32k 34% below MA |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
| Deerfield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Highest 24% below MA |
— | $1,207±$115Lowest 31% below MA |
| 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 about the MA average |
$4,381 27% below MA |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
25 minHighest 13% below MA |
21 min 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Montague 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 | — | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | — | 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 |
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.