Compare towns
Becket vs Fall River vs Lawrence vs Westhampton
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 affordable homes ($361k median).
Fall River has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Westhampton has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Fall River | Lawrence | Westhampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,962 |
94,082Highest |
88,736 |
1,552Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
49.3±4.9 23% above MA |
| Becket and Westhampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.4%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westhampton 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% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
47%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Fall River 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$100,000±$7kHighest 4% below MA |
| Westhampton and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA |
$413,200±$24k 26% below MA |
| Lawrence and Westhampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,304±$229 26% below MA |
| Becket and Lawrence 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 |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422 43% below MA |
$6,476Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
6.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Westhampton 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 | — | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Hampshire · Westhampton |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | Hampshire Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
13.6Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.