Compare towns
Auburn vs Concord vs Belchertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Concord has the most expensive homes ($1210k median).
Belchertown has the most homeowners (87.1%).
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 | Auburn | Concord | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
18,223Highest |
15,393Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
47.6±2Highest 19% above MA |
43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Concord and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Concord and Auburn 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% |
23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Concord and Belchertown 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% |
79.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$1,292±$230Lowest 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #10 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Concord Carlisle High | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.4Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.