Compare towns
Becket vs Ware vs Lanesborough
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%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Lanesborough has the shortest commute (22 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 | Ware | Lanesborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,028 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
51.2±4.4Highest 28% above MA |
| Lanesborough 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Lanesborough 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±5.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lanesborough 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Becket 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$86,219±$19kHighest 17% below MA |
| Lanesborough 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±$82kHighest 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$299,400±$36k 47% below MA |
| Becket and Lanesborough 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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,349±$199 23% below MA |
| Becket and Lanesborough 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$5,007Highest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±41.2Lowest 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Becket and Ware 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #75 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Ware | Mount Greylock |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.