Compare towns
Becket vs Hadley vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Hadley has the most people working from home (20.1%).
Washington has the oldest population (median age 56.5).
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 | Hadley | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962 |
5,306Highest |
526Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
45.8±7.1Lowest 15% above MA |
56.5±7.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Washington and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hadley and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley 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 23% below MA |
$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA |
$95,278±$12k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA |
$370,700±$32k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
— |
| Becket and Hadley 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 |
$5,271Highest 12% below MA |
$4,381 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
25 min 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hadley 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 | — | #116 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Hadley | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hopkins Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.