Compare towns
Sheffield vs Ware vs Egremont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Egremont has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
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 | Sheffield | Ware | Egremont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,330 |
10,048Highest |
1,230Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±8 21% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
56.9±13.6Highest 42% above MA |
| Egremont and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
10.9%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.4%±9.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Egremont and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±4.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±4.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,120±$31k 11% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$101,458±$30kHighest about the MA average |
| Egremont and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,400±$32k 27% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$664,900±$109kHighest 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,349±$393 23% below MA |
| Sheffield and Egremont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,520Highest 25% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,647Lowest 39% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
8.5%±40.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
44 minHighest 50% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #250 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Southern Berkshire | Ware | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | Mt Everett Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.