Compare towns
Becket vs Wareham vs Middlefield 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 kids (15.3% under 18).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
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 | Wareham | Middlefield | Tyringham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,962 |
23,302Highest |
352Lowest |
494 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7Lowest 24% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
56.9±3.7 42% above MA |
59.2±2.7Highest 48% above MA |
| Tyringham and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
8.7%±5.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Becket and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
35.2%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Tyringham and Middlefield 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.8% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$103,750±$23k about the MA average |
$163,333±$28kHighest 57% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82k 36% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$699,400±$96kHighest 24% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1k 20% above MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,050±$393Lowest 40% below MA |
| Middlefield and Becket 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 |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$4,632 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 12.1% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #272 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Wareham | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.