Compare towns
Ware vs Epping 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).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Epping | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
7,430Lowest |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest 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% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Epping 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. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$108,068±$15kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Belchertown and Epping 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. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$371,300±$12k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,292±$230 9% below U.S. |
| Epping and Belchertown 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,810 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Epping School District | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Epping High School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
9.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.