Compare towns
Ware vs Morris vs Belchertown vs Athol
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).
Morris has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Athol has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Morris | Belchertown | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,164Lowest |
15,393Highest |
12,011 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
52.8±6.5Highest 36% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Belchertown 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% |
29.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Morris 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Morris 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. |
$109,191±$25kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$108,068±$15k 34% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Morris 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. |
$396,000±$60kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$371,300±$12k 12% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Morris and Belchertown 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. |
$1,204±$134 15% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
| Belchertown and Morris 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. |
$5,273 69% above U.S. |
$5,810Highest 86% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±31.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Athol 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Morris 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 | — | #168 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Regional School District 20 | Belchertown | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Belchertown High | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
11.6 |
| 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.