Compare towns
Belchertown vs Millis vs Upton 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).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Millis | Upton | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,393Highest |
8,888 |
8,189 |
1,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
23.5%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Millis 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% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Millis 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 |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$447,600±$33k 20% below MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230 27% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,205±$560 32% below MA |
| Millis 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 |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,472 25% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Upton 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Belchertown | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Pelham |
| High school in town | Belchertown High | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.