Compare towns
Webster vs Northampton vs North Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
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 | Northampton | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
30,962Highest |
12,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
41.3±2.2 3% above MA |
44.1±3.5Highest 10% above MA |
| North Adams and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| North Adams and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
9.8%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
$80,288±$6kHighest 23% below MA |
$47,500±$7kLowest 54% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA |
$195,900±$14kLowest 65% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$793±$113Lowest 55% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 46% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$3,078Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
63.7%±11Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Adams and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16% MA: 10% |
13.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
51% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
17 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | — | Northampton High | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.