Compare towns
Ashby vs Bourne vs Becket
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 highest household income ($116k).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Bourne | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211 |
20,323Highest |
1,962Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
49.6±4.7Lowest 24% above MA |
| Bourne 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% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6 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% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne 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 |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$80,417±$29kLowest 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
| Becket and Bourne 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 |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Bourne 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% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Bourne 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.