Compare towns
Ashby vs Webster vs Webster 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).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% 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 | Webster | Webster | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,211 |
12,228 |
17,748Highest |
1,962Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
| Ashby and Becket 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% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
45.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster 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 |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$80,417±$29k 23% below MA |
| Ashby and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kHighest 31% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$361,000±$82k 36% below MA |
| Ashby and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
| Becket and Webster 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 |
$3,234 46% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Webster 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% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Becket 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | — | Webster | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
— |
| 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.