Compare towns
Ware vs Vershire 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 renters (27.7% rent).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k 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 | Vershire | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
842Lowest |
15,393Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.7±9.3Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.9±1.6 13% above U.S. |
| Vershire 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% |
19.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Vershire 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% |
31.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belchertown and Vershire 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. |
$71,618±$12k 11% below U.S. |
$108,068±$15kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$209,100±$55kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$371,300±$12kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,117±$80 21% below U.S. |
$1,292±$230Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Belchertown and Vershire 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. |
$4,640 49% above U.S. |
$5,810Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.8%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Vershire and Ware 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 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.