What stands out worked out from the figures below

Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Becket	Lancaster
People
Population	1,962Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA	43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA
	Becket and Lancaster 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%	19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lancaster and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.3%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9%	19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Becket and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	50.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Becket and Lancaster 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	$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA
	Lancaster 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	$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,107±$1kLowest 20% above MA	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA
	Lancaster and Becket 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	$7,235Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	68.3%±36.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Becket and Lancaster 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%	1.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 23% above MA	32 minLowest 9% above MA
Work from home	13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Central Berkshire	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.