Compare towns
Belchertown vs Plainfield vs Ware
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 |
1,314Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 34% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Belchertown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,300±$12kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Belchertown and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | #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 |
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.