Compare towns
Belchertown vs Plainfield 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% 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 | Plainfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,393Highest |
616Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
| Plainfield and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Belchertown and Ware 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% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainfield 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% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Plainfield 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,300±$12kHighest 34% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810Highest 3% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Belchertown 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% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #168 of 282 in MA | — | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Belchertown | — | Ware |
| High school in town | Belchertown High | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.