Compare towns
Ware vs Wareham vs West Brookfield 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).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
West Brookfield has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Belchertown has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Wareham | West Brookfield | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
23,302Highest |
3,859Lowest |
15,393 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
52.1±3.1 30% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| West Brookfield and Wareham 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% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
$108,068±$15kHighest 4% above MA |
| Belchertown and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
$371,300±$12k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
$1,292±$230 27% below MA |
| Wareham and Belchertown 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 |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
$5,810Highest 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest 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% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
87.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| West Brookfield 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Wareham | Quaboag Regional | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Wareham Senior High | None in town | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
8.6Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.