Compare towns
Ware vs Marshfield vs Dudley vs Belchertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Dudley has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
Belchertown has the most homeowners (87.1%).
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 | Marshfield | Dudley | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
25,879Highest |
11,929 |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
| Marshfield 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dudley and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$125,986±$8kHighest 21% above MA |
$84,604±$12k 19% below MA |
$108,068±$15k 4% above MA |
| Marshfield 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±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$371,300±$12k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$1,292±$230 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$6,656Highest 11% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield 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 MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Marshfield | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Marshfield High | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.0Lowest |
14.3Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.