Compare towns
Williamstown vs Adams vs Boxborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williamstown has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Adams has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Williamstown is a college town. 28.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Williamstown | Adams | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,150Highest |
8,074 |
5,496Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA |
47.3±3.3Highest 18% above MA |
42.7±1.6 7% above MA |
| Adams and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Boxborough and Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
25.2%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Adams and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,650±$25k about the MA average |
$58,929±$6kLowest 43% below MA |
$144,611±$35kHighest 39% above MA |
| Boxborough and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $437,100±$39k 22% below MA |
$209,900±$15kLowest 63% below MA |
$706,900±$72kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,584±$292 10% below MA |
$963±$74Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
| Boxborough and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,290 12% below MA |
$3,638Lowest 39% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.1%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Adams and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% MA: 10% |
13.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 45% below MA |
24 min 19% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.3%±5.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Williamstown and Boxborough 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 | #45 of 282 in MA | #230 of 282 in MA | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mount Greylock | Hoosac Valley Regional | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Mt Greylock Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| 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.