Compare towns
Becket vs Townsend vs Tyringham
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).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Tyringham has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Townsend | Tyringham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962 |
9,100Highest |
494Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
59.2±2.7Highest 48% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
8.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Becket 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.2%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Tyringham 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 |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$163,333±$28kHighest 57% above MA |
| Tyringham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$699,400±$96kHighest 24% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,050±$393Lowest 40% below MA |
| Becket and Townsend 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,632 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Tyringham 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
36 minLowest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.