What stands out worked out from the figures below

Belchertown has the most affordable homes ($371k median).

Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

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

Measure	Belchertown	Upton
People
Population	15,393Highest	8,189Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA	46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA
	Upton 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 MA: 19.4%	23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Upton and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Belchertown and Upton 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%	53.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA	$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA
	Upton 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±$12kLowest 34% below MA	$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA	$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA
	Belchertown and Upton 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	$8,376Highest 40% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8%	52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Belchertown and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Highest MA: 10%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	35 minHighest 22% above MA
Work from home	14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#168 of 282 in MA	#46 of 282 in MA
School district	Belchertown	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town	Belchertown High	Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.