Compare towns
Pembroke vs Putney 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
Pembroke has the most expensive homes ($587k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Pembroke | Putney | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,382Highest |
2,622Lowest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.3Highest 17% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Belchertown and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belchertown and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,285±$17kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$108,068±$15k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $586,500±$28kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$371,300±$12k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,464±$753Highest 74% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,585Highest 111% above U.S. |
$5,313Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$5,810 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Belchertown and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pembroke and Putney 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 | #82 of 282 in MA | #32 of 70 in VT | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pembroke | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Pembroke High School | None in town | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.