What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the most renters (26.9% rent).

Belchertown has the most people working from home (14%).

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	Dudley	Belchertown
People
Population	11,929Lowest	15,393Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average	43.9±1.6Highest 10% above MA
	Belchertown and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4%	19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dudley and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%
	Belchertown and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA	$108,068±$15kHighest 4% above MA
	Belchertown and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA	$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA
	Dudley and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Lowest 31% below MA	$1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA
	Belchertown and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA	$5,810Highest 3% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Belchertown and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	87.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	14%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Belchertown and Dudley 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	#168 of 282 in MA
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Belchertown
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Belchertown High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.