Compare towns
Pelham vs Ware 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%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Belchertown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Ware | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,335Lowest |
10,048 |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
| Pelham and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$108,068±$15k 4% above MA |
| 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±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$371,300±$12k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,205±$560 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% 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 | $7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham | Ware | Belchertown |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior 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 |
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.