Compare towns
Becket vs Middlefield vs Wareham
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%).
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
Wareham has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
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 | Middlefield | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962 |
352Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7Lowest 24% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Becket and Wareham 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% |
28.7%±8.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Middlefield and Wareham 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 MA: 47.3% |
31.8% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Middlefield and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82k 36% below MA |
$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
| Wareham and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1k 20% above MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
| Middlefield 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 |
$4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 12.1% MA: 10% |
12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Becket and Middlefield 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 | — | — | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | — | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
| 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.