Compare towns
Pelham vs Meredith vs Belchertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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.
| Measure | Pelham | Meredith | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,335Lowest |
6,758 |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±8.4 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±6.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$108,068±$15k 34% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,600±$33k 35% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$371,300±$12kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,205±$560 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Belchertown and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,472Highest 140% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$5,810 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±35.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Belchertown and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 32.8%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Belchertown |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.