Compare towns
Lee vs Ware vs Deerfield vs Stockbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most renters (28.9% rent).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (52.4%).
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 | Lee | Ware | Deerfield | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,719 |
10,048Highest |
5,158 |
2,056Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8 38% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
63.7±3.5Highest 59% above MA |
| Stockbridge and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
8.4%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
47%±7.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stockbridge and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$146,250±$67kHighest 41% above MA |
| Stockbridge and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19k 37% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$600,000±$99kHighest 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212Highest 22% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$858±$375Lowest 51% below MA |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
$4,652 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.8%±27 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 38% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
20 min 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
52.4%±19.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #209 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Lee | Ware | Deerfield · Frontier | — |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Frontier Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
11.1Highest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 20 photos → | 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.