Compare towns
Becket vs Bow vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Becket has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Becket | Bow | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962 |
8,335Highest |
1,639Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
| Becket and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oakham and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,417±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$102,000±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$420,100±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,174±$81Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Becket and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Bow School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.