Compare towns
Auburn vs Harvard 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).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Belchertown has the most affordable homes ($371k median).
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 | Harvard | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
6,927Lowest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Auburn and Harvard 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% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest 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% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest 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±$10k 12% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
$1,292±$230Lowest 27% below MA |
| Auburn and Harvard 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 |
$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% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Harvard | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | The Bromfield High School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.0Lowest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.