Compare towns
Belchertown vs Athol vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belchertown has the highest household income ($108k).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
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 | Belchertown | Athol | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,393Highest |
12,011 |
6,369Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6Highest 10% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
| Belchertown and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Belchertown and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,068±$15kHighest 4% above MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,300±$12kHighest 34% below MA |
$268,100±$13k 52% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
| Belchertown and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810Highest 3% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,408 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
27 min 8% below MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #168 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Belchertown | Athol-Royalston | — |
| High school in town | Belchertown High | Athol High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.