Compare towns
Ashby vs Springfield 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).
Springfield has the most renters (9.3% rent).
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 | Springfield | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Highest |
1,122Lowest |
1,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
49.6±4.7Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Springfield 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% |
15.1%±8Lowest 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%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Becket and Ashby 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. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
$80,417±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ashby and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50k 15% above U.S. |
$361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Becket and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,946 91% above U.S. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Ashby 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% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 25% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby and Springfield 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 | — | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.