What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Belchertown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Belchertown
People
Population	16,970Highest	15,393Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA	43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA
	Auburn and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Auburn and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%
	Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA	$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA
	Auburn and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kHighest 29% below MA	$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA	$1,292±$230Lowest 27% below MA
	Auburn and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Lowest 12% below MA	$5,810Highest 3% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Belchertown and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%	8.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	87.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 12% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%	14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Auburn and Belchertown 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	#106 of 282 in MA	#168 of 282 in MA
School district	Auburn	Belchertown
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Belchertown High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.