Compare towns
North Adams vs Plainfield vs Greenfield
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).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($77k).
Greenfield has the most people working from home (11.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Greenfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,606Lowest |
15,141 |
17,664Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5 13% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.6±2.1Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Greenfield and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Greenfield and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$55,614±$7k 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$263,100±$16k 21% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,107±$67 22% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,769Highest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.2%±7.3 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 | 18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Greenfield and Plainfield 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #257 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | Plainfield School District | Greenfield |
| High school in town | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | Plainfield High School | Greenfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
10.3Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.