Compare towns
Becket vs Plainfield vs Westhampton
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%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Westhampton has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Plainfield | Westhampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962Highest |
616Lowest |
1,552 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
49.3±4.9Lowest 23% above MA |
| Plainfield 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% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Westhampton 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% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.4%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Westhampton 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% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield and Westhampton 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$100,000±$7kHighest 4% below MA |
| Westhampton 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 |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$413,200±$24kHighest 26% below MA |
| Westhampton 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 |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,304±$229 26% below MA |
| Becket and Westhampton 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 |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$6,476Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
98% MA: 62.5% |
91.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Westhampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Central Berkshire | — | Hampshire · Westhampton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hampshire Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.