Compare towns
Becket vs Stow vs Oakham
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).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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.
| Measure | Becket | Stow | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962 |
7,165Highest |
1,639Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Becket and Oakham 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Oakham 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Oakham 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Oakham and Stow 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 |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
| Becket and Stow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest 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% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
36 minLowest 23% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #44 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Nashoba | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.