Compare towns
Becket vs Maynard vs Stow vs Ashby
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).
Maynard has the most renters (25% rent).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
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 | Maynard | Stow | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,962Lowest |
10,712Highest |
7,165 |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby 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% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Stow and Maynard 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 |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
| Becket and Maynard 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 |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Stow 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% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Maynard 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 | — | #166 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Maynard | Nashoba | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Maynard High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7 |
— | — |
| 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.