Compare towns
Sheffield vs Whitman vs Mount Washington
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).
Whitman has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Mount Washington has the most people working from home (30.1%).
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 | Whitman | Mount Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,330 |
15,295Highest |
193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.2±8 21% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±10.7Highest 30% above MA |
| Mount Washington 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.1%±14.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Mount Washington 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% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.5%±13Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Mount Washington 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% |
31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±4.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.6%±7.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Whitman 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±$31kLowest 11% below MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$142,500±$26kHighest 37% above MA |
| Mount Washington and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,400±$32kLowest 27% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$714,300±$141kHighest 27% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
$1,771±$151Lowest about the MA average |
— |
| Sheffield and Whitman 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 |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
$3,316Lowest 45% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
75%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mount Washington and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±14.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #250 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Southern Berkshire | Whitman-Hanson | — |
| High school in town | Mt Everett Regional | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8 |
— | — |
| 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.