Compare towns
Ashby vs Becket vs Wareham
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
1,962Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
49.6±4.7Lowest 24% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashby and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham 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% MA: 47.3% |
45.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
| Wareham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Becket and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest about the MA average |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Wareham 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Becket 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Central Berkshire | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.