Compare towns
Becket vs Epping vs Oakham
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%).
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 | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962 |
7,430Highest |
1,639Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
| Becket and Oakham 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% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Oakham 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% |
21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Oakham 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% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Oakham 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±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$102,000±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Epping and Oakham 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. |
$420,100±$20k 26% above U.S. |
| Epping and Oakham 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. |
$1,174±$81Lowest 17% 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. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 22% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Epping School District | Quabbin |
| 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.