Compare towns
Greenfield vs Needham vs Turners Falls
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Turners Falls has the most affordable homes ($247k 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 | Greenfield | Needham | Turners Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,664 |
32,459Highest |
4,124Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.9±4.3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Greenfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Greenfield and Turners Falls 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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±$7k 47% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$54,772±$5kLowest 47% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,100±$16k 53% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$246,700±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$67Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,116±$140 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,769 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,650Lowest 39% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.9%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Greenfield and Turners Falls 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
18 min 37% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.9%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #257 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Greenfield | — | — |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.