Compare towns
Westhampton vs Wareham vs Oakham vs Becket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westhampton has the most people working from home (14.1%).
Wareham has the most renters (16.5% rent).
Oakham has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Westhampton | Wareham | Oakham | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,552Lowest |
23,302Highest |
1,639 |
1,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±4.9 23% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
49±2.3Lowest 23% above MA |
49.6±4.7 24% above MA |
| Wareham and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Oakham and Westhampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Westhampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
45.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$7k 4% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
$80,417±$29kLowest 23% below MA |
| Oakham and Westhampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,200±$24k 26% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
| Wareham and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,304±$229 26% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,174±$81Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
| Becket and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,476Highest 8% above MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±53.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Westhampton and Becket 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 | Hampshire · Westhampton | Wareham | Quabbin | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | Hampshire Regional High | Wareham Senior High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.