Compare towns
Auburn vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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.
| Measure | Auburn | Townsend | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
9,100Lowest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.9±1.6 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% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
| Townsend and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
| Townsend and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,292±$230Lowest 27% below MA |
| Townsend and Auburn 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | North Middlesex | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | North Middlesex Regional | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
13.1Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.