Compare towns
Housatonic vs Lee vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Housatonic has the most people working from home (26%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Housatonic | Lee | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Lowest |
5,719Highest |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±9.1 30% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
49.3±6.7Lowest 23% above MA |
| Lee and Housatonic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±8.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Housatonic and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.3%±10.4 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Housatonic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±3.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $437,000±$47kHighest 22% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
| Housatonic and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,491±$462Highest 15% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Housatonic and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,920 18% below MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,027Highest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±33.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lee and Housatonic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 24% below MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
23 minHighest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 26%±12.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Housatonic and Whately 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 | — | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Lee | Whately |
| High school in town | — | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.