Compare towns
Ware vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
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 | Reading | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
25,612Highest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.9±1.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Belchertown and Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Belchertown 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Belchertown and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$108,068±$15k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$371,300±$12k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,292±$230 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Reading | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Reading Memorial High | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.