Compare towns
Becket vs Orange 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
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 | Orange | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962Lowest |
7,573Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Orange 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% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Becket and Ashby 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 |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
| Ashby 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±$82k 36% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$390,500±$30kHighest 31% below MA |
| Ashby and Becket 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 |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,200±$484 32% below MA |
| Becket and Ashby 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 |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$6,034Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.