Compare towns
Webster vs Hampton Beach vs North Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
North Adams has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | Webster | Hampton Beach | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228 |
2,605Lowest |
12,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
44.1±3.5 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8k 21% below U.S. |
$82,557±$17kHighest about the U.S. average |
$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 4% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Adams and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | — | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.