Rank
120
B
Belchertown
2 schools · 1 high school · 1 elementary school · Belchertown
Belchertown is a suburban town in western Massachusetts, located approximately 15 miles northeast of Springfield. The Belchertown Public School District serves the single town and operates one high school, one elementary school, and supporting middle grades facilities. With a 93.2% graduation rate, the district demonstrates solid student outcomes, and Belchertown High School serves as the educational hub for the community. The town has a long history connected to agriculture and the Five College region, contributing to its character as a residential community in the Pioneer Valley area.
Avg MCAS ELA
56.5%
#113 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
46%
#143 of 326
Avg SAT
1,122
#138 of 290
Attendance
93.9%
#195 of 328
Graduation Rate
93.2%
#173 of 288
AP Pass Rate
85.7%
#56 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$17,839
#298 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$82,993
#250 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 45% | 34% | — | 494 | 161 |
| Grade 4 | 35% | 25% | — | 489 | 160 |
| Grade 5 | 39% | 33% | 50% | 494 | 156 |
| Grade 6 | 53% | 40% | — | 500 | 159 |
| Grade 7 | 54% | 35% | — | 497 | 160 |
| Grade 8 | 50% | 34% | 34% | 496 | 168 |
| Grade 10 | 66% | 56% | 67% | 504 | 129 |
| HS Science | — | — | 67% | 508 | 123 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 82.1%
Asian: 1.7%
Hispanic: 10%
Black: 1.6%
Multi-Race: 4.4%
Am. Indian: 0.2%
Female: 49.8%Male: 50%Non-binary: 0.3%
High Schools in Belchertown
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
83
B+
Belchertown High
SAT
1,122
ELA
68%
Math
57%
Grad
93.2%
83
B+
Belchertown High
1,122
68%
57%
85.7%
93.2%
Elementary Schools in Belchertown
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
486
B-
Swift River Elementary
ELA
45%
Math
35%
Attend.
94.8%
Class
17
486
B-
Swift River Elementary
45%
35%
94.8%
17
District Operations
Attendance
#195 of 328Attendance Rate93.9%
Avg Days Absent11
Chronically Absent (10%+)15.2%
Chronically Absent (20%+)3.4%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#298 of 325In-District Per Pupil$17,886
Total Per Pupil$17,839
Total FTE Students2,265
Teacher Salaries
#250 of 325Average Salary$82,993
Teacher FTE Count169
Salary vs. Town Income1.9x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.9x the town's per capita income ($42,952). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#115 of 327Avg Class Size16
English Learners3%
Students w/ Disabilities22.6%
Total Students2,045
Staffing & Retention
#99 of 327Teacher Retention89.6%
Principal Retention60%
Total Teachers173
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Belchertown
Avg Assessed Value
$437,703
#188 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$6,622
Income Per Capita
$42,952
#156 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#187
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.51%
Tax as % of Income15.42%(typical)
Bond RatingAA(very good)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$26.4M+1.11% levy growth(typical)
Residential$18.6M
Commercial/Industrial$7.8M
Residential Share70.5%(typical)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.6% (2.5% base + 1.11% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (70.5%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$1.4M2.4% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $60.0M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 1,828(82.1%)
Vocational: 125(5.6%)
Charter: 38(1.7%)
Private: 29(1.3%)
Home School: 73(3.3%)
Total: 2,226