Greenfield and North Adams receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Greenfield
North Adams
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 6%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Growth
37 · Bottom 26%
vs42 · Bottom 36%
Climate
59 · Bottom 11%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 29%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
25 · Bottom 17%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 25%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Greenfield | North Adams | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,664 | 12,606 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,614 | $47,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,425 | $36,808 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 825/sq mi | 620/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,100 | $195,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,107 | $793 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.7% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.2% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.1% | 28.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 11 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 300.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.2" | 42.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.6 | 44.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.23 | 10.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.4% | 14.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.0% | 28.5% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Greenfield
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
North Adams
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Greenfield
51
Your Score
47
Area Score
North Adams
50
Your Score
47
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Greenfield, MA · North Adams, MA · How this is calculated: methodology