Compare towns
Ashby vs Hampton Beach vs Hampton vs Becket
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).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($550k median).
Becket has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Hampton Beach | Hampton | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
2,605 |
16,426Highest |
1,962Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
49.6±4.7Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Becket and Hampton 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. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$80,417±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Becket and Hampton 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. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton 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 | — | #31 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Winnacunnet High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.