Compare towns
Webster vs Easthampton vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
Easthampton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Berlin has the highest household income ($121k).
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 | Easthampton | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
16,086 |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
46±2.6 15% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Berlin and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38% MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,932 18% below MA |
$7,116Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Berlin and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Easthampton | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Easthampton High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.