What stands out worked out from the figures below

Millbury has the most expensive homes ($450k median).

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

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	Millbury	Belchertown
People
Population	13,961Lowest	15,393Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.6±3.1Lowest 7% above MA	43.9±1.6Highest 10% above MA
	Belchertown and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4%	19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Millbury and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9%
	Belchertown and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Belchertown and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA	$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA
	Millbury and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,100±$19kHighest 20% below MA	$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,623±$232Highest 8% below MA	$1,292±$230Lowest 27% below MA
	Millbury and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,406Lowest 10% below MA	$5,810Highest 3% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Belchertown and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest MA: 10%	8.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	87.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	14.8%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Millbury and Belchertown 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	#202 of 282 in MA	#168 of 282 in MA
School district	Millbury	Belchertown
High school in town	Millbury Junior/Senior High	Belchertown High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	11.9Highest
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.