Compare towns
Ashby vs Becket vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Becket has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
1,962Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
43.2±2.1Lowest 8% above MA |
| Ashby and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Becket 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 MA: 47.3% |
45.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lunenburg 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 11% above MA |
$80,417±$29kLowest 23% below MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
| Ashby and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$463,900±$24kHighest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,974±$586 12% above MA |
| Becket and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 about the MA average |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
$6,401Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Lunenburg 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 | — | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Central Berkshire | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.