Compare towns
Becket vs Bow vs Tyringham vs Ashby
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 kids (25% under 18).
Tyringham has the most expensive homes ($699k median).
Ashby has the oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
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 | Tyringham | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,962 |
8,335Highest |
494Lowest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 28% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
59.2±2.7Highest 52% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.7%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Tyringham 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. |
$163,333±$28k 102% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9k 43% above U.S. |
| Bow and Tyringham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$699,400±$96kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,050±$393Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% 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. |
$4,632 49% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Tyringham 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Tyringham and Bow 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Bow School District | — | North Middlesex |
| 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 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.