Compare towns
Belchertown vs Epping vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belchertown has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Belchertown | Epping | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,393Highest |
7,430Lowest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Palmer Town and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Belchertown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Epping 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 34% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Belchertown and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,300±$12k 12% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230 9% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,075±$103Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Epping and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810 86% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,540Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 9% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Belchertown | Epping School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Belchertown High | Epping High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
9.3Lowest |
9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.