Compare towns
Sheffield vs Ware vs Northfield
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).
Northfield has the most people working from home (16.5%).
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 | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,330 |
10,048Highest |
2,872Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±8 21% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
48.9±4.2Highest 22% above MA |
| Northfield and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Northfield 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% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Northfield 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% |
42.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,120±$31k 11% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$103,375±$10kHighest about the MA average |
| Northfield 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±$32kHighest 27% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$375,800±$31k 33% below MA |
| Sheffield and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,142±$200 35% below MA |
| Sheffield and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,520 25% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,594Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.2%±25.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Northfield 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% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.5%±10.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northfield and Ware 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 | #250 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #231 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southern Berkshire | Ware | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | Mt Everett Regional | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pioneer Valley Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.