Compare towns
Becket vs Brooklyn 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 homeowners (98.2%).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Brooklyn | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962Lowest |
8,517Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 28% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Becket 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% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn 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 |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82k 9% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
| Becket and Ashby 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 |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Brooklyn 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older 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 |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #113 of 149 in CT | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Brooklyn School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.