Compare towns
Ware vs Castleton vs Brookfield 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 renters (27.7% rent).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Ware | Castleton | Brookfield | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
4,453 |
1,486Lowest |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$108,068±$15kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Belchertown and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$371,300±$12kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Belchertown and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$5,810Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | — | 11.9Highest |
| 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.