Compare towns
North Adams vs Webster vs Easthampton
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 affordable homes ($196k median).
Webster has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Webster | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,606Lowest |
17,748Highest |
16,086 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5 10% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
| Easthampton 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%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and North Adams 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% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton 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% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| North Adams and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,500±$7kLowest 54% below MA |
$72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$71,673±$7k 31% below MA |
| Webster and Easthampton 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 |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$371,500±$15kHighest 34% below MA |
| Easthampton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $793±$113Lowest 55% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA |
| Easthampton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,078Lowest 49% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$4,932Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.7%±11Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 9.2%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #268 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical | Webster | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Charles McCann Vocational Technical | Bartlett High School | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
11.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.