Compare towns
Belvidere vs Dudley vs Ware vs Montgomery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Montgomery has the most people working from home (16%).
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 | Belvidere | Dudley | Ware | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 422Lowest |
11,929Highest |
10,048 |
1,047 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.5 5% above U.S. |
40.2±2.4Lowest 3% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
51.5±11.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Montgomery and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Belvidere and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$18k about the U.S. average |
$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Dudley and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $239,200±$51kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$323,200±$45k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$1,217±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$868±$209Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Belvidere and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,326Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±53.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.6%±68Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.4%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Montgomery 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 | — | #142 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Ware | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.