Compare towns
Ware vs Blackstone vs Brooklyn 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
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Brooklyn has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Belchertown has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Blackstone | Brooklyn | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
9,255 |
8,517Lowest |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Blackstone and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belchertown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Brooklyn 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 16% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$108,068±$15kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Belchertown and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$371,300±$12k 12% above U.S. |
| Blackstone and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Belchertown and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,703 83% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$5,810Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Blackstone-Millville | Brooklyn School District | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.