Compare towns
Greenfield vs Ware vs Montague
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).
Ware has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Montague has the highest household income ($71k).
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 | Ware | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,664Highest |
6,369Lowest |
8,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1Highest 12% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±3.1 11% above MA |
| Greenfield and Montague 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Montague 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Montague 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,614±$7k 47% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$70,510±$12kHighest 32% below MA |
| Montague and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,100±$16k 53% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$282,100±$17kHighest 50% below MA |
| Montague and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$67 37% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,207±$115Highest 31% below MA |
| Montague and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,769Highest 20% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,922 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3 MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Ware 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% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
11.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1951Highest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
27 minHighest 9% below MA |
21 min 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #257 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greenfield | — | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | — | 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 |
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.