Compare towns
Pembroke vs Sutton vs Belchertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the most expensive homes ($587k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Pembroke | Sutton | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,382Highest |
9,452Lowest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
43.9±1.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Pembroke and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,285±$17k 41% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$108,068±$15kLowest 4% above MA |
| Sutton and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $586,500±$28kHighest 4% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$371,300±$12kLowest 34% below MA |
| Pembroke and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,292±$230 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,585 10% above MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$5,810Lowest 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Pembroke 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pembroke | Sutton | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Pembroke High School | Sutton High School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.6Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.