Compare towns
Becket vs Ware vs Oakham 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 homeowners (98.2%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Ware | Oakham | Tyringham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,962 |
10,048Highest |
1,639 |
494Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
59.2±2.7Highest 48% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
8.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
35.2%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Oakham 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 |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
$163,333±$28kHighest 57% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82k 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$699,400±$96kHighest 24% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,050±$393 40% below MA |
| Becket and Oakham 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 |
$4,103 32% below MA |
$4,632Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±100 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
89.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Ware | Quabbin | — |
| 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 | 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.