Compare towns
Middlefield vs Orange vs Becket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Middlefield | Orange | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 352Lowest |
7,573Highest |
1,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
| Middlefield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Middlefield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Becket and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$80,417±$29k 23% below MA |
| Middlefield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$361,000±$82kHighest 36% below MA |
| Becket and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$2,107±$1k 20% above MA |
| Middlefield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 12.2% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
12.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Becket and Middlefield 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.