Compare towns
Belchertown vs Ware vs Webster
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 highest household income ($108k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Ware | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,393Highest |
10,048Lowest |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Belchertown and Ware 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 MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Webster 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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,300±$12kHighest 34% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
| Belchertown and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810Highest 3% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Belchertown and Ware 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 | #271 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 Our Story | 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.