Compare towns
North Adams vs Ware vs Clarksburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Adams has the most renters (49% rent).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Clarksburg has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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 | Ware | Clarksburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,606Highest |
10,048 |
1,667Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
49.8±7.1Highest 25% above MA |
| Clarksburg 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.5%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Clarksburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.4% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,500±$7kLowest 54% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$77,143±$11kHighest 26% below MA |
| Clarksburg and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,900±$14kLowest 65% below MA |
$289,700±$28kHighest 48% below MA |
$239,900±$18k 57% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $793±$113Lowest 55% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,125±$190Highest 36% below MA |
| Clarksburg and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,078 49% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$2,993Lowest 50% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.7%±11Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
65.2%±56.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Clarksburg and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
24 min 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and North Adams 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | Ware | Clarksburg |
| High school in town | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| 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.