Compare towns
Ware vs Belchertown vs New Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Belchertown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
New Salem has the most people working from home (19.4%).
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 | Ware | Belchertown | New Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
15,393Highest |
1,054Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
55.6±2.4Highest 39% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±6.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Salem and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.6Lowest 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 | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$108,068±$15kHighest 4% above MA |
$79,688±$19k 23% below MA |
| Belchertown and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$371,300±$12kHighest 34% below MA |
$359,000±$40k 36% below MA |
| Belchertown and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA |
$1,194±$88 32% below MA |
| Belchertown and New Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,810Highest 3% below MA |
$4,509 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
86.7%±25.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Salem and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
23 minLowest 20% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.4%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| New Salem and Belchertown 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Ware | Belchertown | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Belchertown High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.