Massachusetts Living Index

North Adams

Berkshires · pop. 12,600

North Adams is MASS MoCA's city, a post-industrial Berkshires mill town reinvented as a contemporary arts destination. Home prices are among the lowest in Massachusetts. Schools are C-.

City LifeHistoric VillageOutdoors & Trails

Livability Index

/ 100

Ranks #150 of 194 MA towns

The numbers

Median home

$254k

5.3× household income

Household income

$48k

ACS median

Commute to Boston

155 min

peak driving

Population

12,600

5-yr trend 52/100

How North Adams scores

Schools

Safety

Walkability

Transit

Biking

Dining

Nightlife

Arts & Culture

Green Space

Diversity

Climate

The honest read

Best for

Artists, remote workers, and second-home buyers who want MASS MoCA access and Appalachian Trail proximity at rock-bottom prices.

The tradeoff

Schools are C- (Niche's lowest grade in the region), crime is above Berkshires average, and the job market outside of arts and education is slim.

Compare on your terms

These scores reflect a neutral weighting. Your priorities are not neutral. Open the full atlas to tune schools, walkability, affordability, commute, and seven more dimensions, and see where North Adams lands for you.

Open North Adams in the atlas About Gary Browse all 194 towns

Nearby towns

Bordering and adjacent Massachusetts towns near North Adams.

Popular comparisons

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Want my honest read on North Adams?

I'm Gary Fikes, a licensed real estate agent at MP Signature Realty and the curator of this site. Tell me what you're looking for and I'll reply personally within 1 business day. No auto-dialer, no spam, no resale.

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