Compare towns
Middlefield vs Wareham vs Washington 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).
Wareham has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Washington has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Wareham | Washington | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 352Lowest |
23,302Highest |
526 |
1,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-8.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
56.5±7.7 41% above MA |
49.6±4.7Lowest 24% above MA |
| Middlefield and Washington 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% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Becket and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Washington and Middlefield 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% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.1% MA: 47.3% |
45.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Becket 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$95,278±$12k 8% below MA |
$80,417±$29kLowest 23% below MA |
| Middlefield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$370,700±$32k 34% below MA |
$361,000±$82k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% 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 |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,381 27% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3 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 | — | #272 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Wareham | — | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | Wareham Senior High | — | None in town |
| 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.