Compare towns
Ashby vs Becket vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
Becket has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Ashby | Becket | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
1,962Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
49.6±4.7 28% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$80,417±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Becket and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 93% above U.S. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Central Berkshire | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
U.S. 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.