Compare towns
Becket vs Epping 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).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
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 | Epping | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962Lowest |
7,430Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 28% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% 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% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Ashby 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping 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 |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Epping 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. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30k 17% above U.S. |
| Epping and Ashby 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. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Becket and Epping 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 |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Epping 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 22% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Epping School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| 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.