Compare towns
Ware vs Sutton vs Belchertown
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 affordable homes ($290k median).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Belchertown has the most expensive homes ($371k median).
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 | Sutton | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
2,239Lowest |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Sutton 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$108,068±$15k 34% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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 13% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$371,300±$12kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Belchertown and Sutton 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. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,292±$230 9% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$5,810 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 |
| School district | Ware | Kearsarge Regional School District | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.