Compare towns
Ware vs Hyde Park vs Hardwick 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1960).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
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 | Hyde Park | Hardwick | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
513Lowest |
2,684 |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
42.6±10.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Hardwick 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% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park and Hardwick 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% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick 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% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Hardwick 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. |
$89,946±$10k 11% above U.S. |
$75,000±$22k 7% below U.S. |
$108,068±$15kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Belchertown and Hyde Park 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. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$371,300±$12kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Belchertown and Hardwick 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. |
$1,306±$285Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230 9% below U.S. |
| Hyde Park and Belchertown 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. |
$3,893Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,400 41% above U.S. |
$5,810Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±13.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Hardwick 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% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Belchertown and Ware 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 | #59 of 70 in VT | #163 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Quabbin | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | 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.