Compare towns
Belchertown vs Ware vs Worcester vs Pelham
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 most homeowners (87.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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.
| Measure | Belchertown | Ware | Worcester | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,393 |
10,048 |
207,055Highest |
1,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
| Pelham and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Worcester 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,068±$15k 4% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA |
| Pelham 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±$12k 34% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$230 27% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,205±$560 32% below MA |
| Worcester and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,810 3% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
24 min 17% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #168 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Belchertown | Ware | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Pelham |
| High school in town | Belchertown High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | South High Community | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
11.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.