Compare towns
Pelham vs Upton vs Belchertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,335Lowest |
8,189 |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±8.4 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Upton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4 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+ | 64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
| Upton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,600±$33k 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,205±$560 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA |
| Belchertown and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,472 25% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,810Lowest 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Belchertown |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.