Compare towns
Greenfield vs Lancaster vs Easthampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Greenfield has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Lancaster has the highest household income ($135k).
Easthampton has the oldest population (median age 46).
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 | Lancaster | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,664Highest |
8,606Lowest |
16,086 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
| Easthampton and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton 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 47% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$71,673±$7k 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,100±$16kLowest 53% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$67Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,769Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,932 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster 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 MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #257 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greenfield | Nashoba | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | None in town | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| 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.