Compare towns
Greenfield vs North Adams vs Ogunquit vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Adams has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Gardner has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
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 | Greenfield | North Adams | Ogunquit | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,664 |
12,606 |
1,379Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1 15% above U.S. |
44.1±3.5 13% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,614±$7k 31% below U.S. |
$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,100±$16k 21% below U.S. |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$67 22% below U.S. |
$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
— | $1,109±$51Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Greenfield 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. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Adams and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.9%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #257 of 282 in MA | #268 of 282 in MA | — | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greenfield | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | — | Gardner |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | — | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
10.6Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.