Compare towns
Greenfield vs Berlin 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
Greenfield has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Montague has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Greenfield | Berlin | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,664Highest |
2,880Lowest |
8,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1 15% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.3±3.1Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Montague and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,614±$7kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$70,510±$12k 13% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,100±$16kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
$282,100±$17kHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Montague and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$67Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
$1,207±$115Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Montague and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,769Highest 53% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.6%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montague and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 20% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.9%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Montague and Greenfield 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 | #257 of 282 in MA | #16 of 70 in VT | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greenfield | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | None in town | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 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.