What stands out worked out from the figures below

Belchertown has the most renters (12.9% rent).

Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Belchertown	Sutton
People
Population	15,393Highest	2,239Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.9±1.6Lowest 13% above U.S.	48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S.
	Sutton 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 U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sutton and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sutton 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%	44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Belchertown and Sutton 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 34% above U.S.	$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S.
	Sutton and Belchertown 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.	$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S.
	Belchertown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$230Lowest 9% below U.S.	$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S.
	Sutton and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,810Lowest 86% above U.S.	$7,652Highest 145% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Belchertown and Sutton 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%	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 9% above U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	14%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sutton 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	—
School district	Belchertown	Kearsarge Regional School District
High school in town	Belchertown High	Kearsarge Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.