What stands out worked out from the figures below

Becket has the most affordable homes ($361k median).

Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Becket	Brookline
People
Population	1,962Lowest	5,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.6±4.7Highest 28% above U.S.	41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.3%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookline and Becket 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	$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S.	$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,107±$1kLowest 49% above U.S.	$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S.
	Brookline and Becket 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	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Becket and Brookline 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%	0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	95.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 36% above U.S.	33 minLowest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#23 of 120 in NH
School district	Central Berkshire	Brookline School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.