Cost of living in North Adams research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means North Adams is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in North Adams is 96, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in North Adams is 1.0x lower than the national average.
North Adams ranks as the #2 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.
North Adams ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in North Adams is $252,112.
The median income in North Adams is $48,521.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, North Adams has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, North Adams has a cost of living index that's 0.7x lower than Massachusetts's index of 134.
The standard of living in North Adams ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies North Adams ranks as the #110 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in North Adams, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in North Adams. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in North Adams is 108.
The Groceries index in North Adams is 104.
The Health index in North Adams is 95.
The Housing index in North Adams is 81.
The Transportation index in North Adams is 95.
The Utilities index in North Adams is 103.
| Living Expense | North Adams | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 96 | 134 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 121 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 95 | 112 | 100 | |
| Housing | 81 | 164 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 120 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 103 | 136 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in North Adams is $252,112.
The Median Rent in North Adams is $777.
The Median Income in North Adams is $48,521.
The Home Value To Income in North Adams is 5.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in North Adams is 0.19x.
| Statistic | North Adams | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $252,112 | $649,115 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $777 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $48,521 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.2x | 6.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | North Adams | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.28 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.08 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.96 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.28 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $51.36 | $45.56 |
| Item | North Adams | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.06 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.6 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.85 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.09 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.9 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.74 | $3.7 |
| Item | North Adams | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $132.47 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $111.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $111.69 | $113.29 |
| Item | North Adams | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.55 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $50.33 | $59.92 |
| Item | North Adams | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $196.7 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $195.71 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around North Adams. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Pittsfield, MA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x North Adams.
Saratoga Springs, NY has a cost of living index of 126, 1.3x North Adams.
Niskayuna, NY has a cost of living index of 115, 1.2x North Adams.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | 43,559 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Saratoga Springs, NY | 28,542 | 126 | 1.3x |
| Niskayuna, NY | 20,774 | 115 | 1.2x |
| Cohoes, NY | 18,043 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Greenville, OH | 12,748 | 83 | 0.9x |
| Rensselaer, NY | 9,247 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Bennington, VT | 8,888 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Colonie, NY | 7,705 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Westmere, NY | 7,616 | 113 | 1.2x |
| Scotia, NY | 7,260 | 98 | 1.0x |