Compare towns
Ashby vs Wareham vs Sutton vs Becket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the most renters (16.5% rent).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Wareham | Sutton | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
23,302Highest |
9,452 |
1,962Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 26% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
49.6±4.7 24% 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%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Ashby 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Sutton 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 11% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$80,417±$29kLowest 23% below MA |
| Sutton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
| Becket and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 about the MA average |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest 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% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Ashby 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Wareham | Sutton | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.