Compare towns
Auburn vs Webster 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 highest household income ($117k).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Webster | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
12,228Lowest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest 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% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Webster 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 |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$108,068±$15k 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 |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$371,300±$12k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,292±$230 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 | $5,289 12% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$5,810Highest 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest 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 | #271 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 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.