Compare towns
North Adams vs Ogunquit vs Williamstown vs Adams
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 renters (49% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Williamstown has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
Williamstown is a college town. 28.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | North Adams | Ogunquit | Williamstown | Adams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,606Highest |
1,379Lowest |
9,150 |
8,074 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5 13% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
37.5±6.9Lowest 4% below U.S. |
47.3±3.3 22% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
28.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$106,650±$25k 32% above U.S. |
$58,929±$6k 27% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$437,100±$39k 31% above U.S. |
$209,900±$15k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
— | $1,584±$292Highest 12% above U.S. |
$963±$74 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,290Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,638 17% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Adams and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 34% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 39% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Williamstown 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 | #268 of 282 in MA | — | #45 of 282 in MA | #230 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | — | Mount Greylock | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| High school in town | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | — | Mt Greylock Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.