Compare towns
Ware vs Jericho vs Belchertown vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jericho has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Belchertown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
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 | Jericho | Belchertown | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
5,114Lowest |
15,393Highest |
6,369 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Jericho 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% |
19.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Jericho 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% |
20.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
65.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$116,923±$16kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$108,068±$15k 34% above U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Jericho and Belchertown 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. |
$493,100±$38kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$371,300±$12k 12% above U.S. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,731±$111Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,292±$230 9% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 36% above U.S. |
$7,318Highest 135% above U.S. |
$5,810 86% above U.S. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho 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% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jericho 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 | #6 of 70 in VT | #168 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Belchertown | — |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | Belchertown High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
13.0Highest |
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.