Compare towns
Ware vs Palmer Town 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 youngest population (median age 43.1).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
Belchertown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Palmer Town | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
12,381 |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
| Palmer Town 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 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Belchertown and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
$108,068±$15kHighest 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
$371,300±$12kHighest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
$1,292±$230Highest 27% below MA |
| Belchertown and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
$5,810Highest 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Belchertown 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% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #252 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
9.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.