Compare towns
Becket vs Tyringham vs Ware vs Washington
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 homeowners (98.2%).
Tyringham has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Washington has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Tyringham | Ware | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,962 |
494Lowest |
10,048Highest |
526 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +2% MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
59.2±2.7Highest 48% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
56.5±7.7 41% above MA |
| Tyringham and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
8.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
35.2%±8.8 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Washington and Tyringham 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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±$29k 23% below MA |
$163,333±$28kHighest 57% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$95,278±$12k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82k 36% below MA |
$699,400±$96kHighest 24% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$370,700±$32k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,050±$393 40% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
— |
| Becket and Tyringham 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 |
$4,632Highest 23% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,381 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±100 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Ware 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% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.9% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | — | Ware | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.