Compare towns
Ashby vs Marion vs Suffield 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 most kids (17% under 18).
Marion has the most expensive homes ($654k median).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Marion | Suffield | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
5,310 |
15,702Highest |
1,962Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
53.8±4Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
49.6±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Marion 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashby and Marion 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% |
27.3%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Marion 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Marion and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
$143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$80,417±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Marion and Suffield 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. |
$653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,176±$516Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Becket and Suffield 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. |
$5,766 85% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% 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% |
75.8%±26.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Marion 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% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marion and Suffield 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Marion | Suffield School District | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Suffield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
— |
| 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.