Compare towns
Belchertown vs Dunstable vs Pelham
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 most affordable homes ($371k median).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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 | Belchertown | Dunstable | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,393Highest |
3,408 |
1,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
41.5±2.4Lowest 4% above MA |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Pelham and Belchertown 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% |
22.4%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Dunstable and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4% MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dunstable and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$447,600±$33k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230 27% below MA |
$1,325±$637Highest 25% below MA |
$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA |
| Dunstable and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810Lowest 3% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$7,472 25% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #168 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Belchertown | Groton-Dunstable | Pelham |
| High school in town | Belchertown High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 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.