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New list reveals cheapest place to buy a home in Massachusetts
North Adams, in the northwest corner of the state, has the least expensive homes in the Bay State, the report said.
The small, rural Western Massachusetts city of North Adams is the cheapest place to buy a house in the state, according to a report by Go Banking Rates.
The Go Banking Rates list reports that the 2025 Zillow Home Index Value, determined by a measure of average home values within the changing market landscape, is $243,572 for North Adams homes.
Located in the northwestern corner of the state, North Adams sits near the southern border of Vermont and the eastern border of upstate New York. The Berkshire County city — the state’s smallest — has a population of roughly 12,000 residents.
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“It’s a gorgeous place to live and a slower pace of life,” said Amber Besaw, executive director of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and a North Adams resident of 20 years.
Besaw, who raised two children in North Adams, said the city is a great for two-income families and young professionals.
“Watching our community grow has been amazing,” Besaw said. “But, we are at risk. The impact of something like this is that people with a lot of resources do move in here and our community becomes gentrified and unable to keep up.”
While people moving in and out of the area is “healthy,” Besaw wonders, “How do you mitigate the potential consequences of when all of a sudden you become the next best place to live?”
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For people interested in living in North Adams, Besaw said it’s best to take the area at face value and not want to change it. There is no Uber or taxi company in the area, and the nearest TJ Maxx is 40 minutes away, she said.
Residents who miss the city feel can drive three hours to New York City or Boston, or one hour to Albany, said Besaw.
However, North Adams has a few “cultural amenities” that can give it a city feel, Besaw said.
North Adams is home to the Mohwak Theatre and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, whose building formerly housed an electric company that made parts for advanced World War II weapons, including the atomic bomb.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect North Adams’ status as a city.
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