Compare towns
Becket vs Chicopee vs Tyringham vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Becket has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Chicopee has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Tyringham has the most expensive homes ($699k median).
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 | Chicopee | Tyringham | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,962 |
55,295Highest |
494Lowest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
59.2±2.7Highest 48% above MA |
50.5±3 26% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
8.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.2%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Chicopee 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±$29k 23% below MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$163,333±$28kHighest 57% above MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82k 36% below MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$699,400±$96kHighest 24% above MA |
$390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,050±$393Lowest 40% below MA |
$1,200±$484 32% below MA |
| 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 49% below MA |
$3,847 36% below MA |
$4,632 23% below MA |
$6,034Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
60%±100 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.9% MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Tyringham and Ashby 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 | — | #247 of 282 in MA | — | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Chicopee | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.