Belchertown, MA: town finances
Thin savings (2.8% of budget); override vote in 2025 and little room under the tax cap; an override vote possible.
Budget grade
Better than 15% of MA towns · score 64 of 100
± Borderline: the score is within 2 points of the C/D cutoff, so a small change in the data could move the budget grade.
Ability to pay
Bottom 25% for income and property value
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $47,143 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $154,797 (DLS 2024).
Chance of an override vote
4 points on our 0-8 scale: Low 0-2, Medium 3-4, High 5+. It ranks towns; it is not a percentage.
Key numbers
| Measure | Belchertown | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $6,622 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 6.1% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2016-26 | 3.91% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | Yes (1 vote) | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 2.8% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 0.38% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 1.75% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | -8% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 12.8 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $485k (87 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +48.1% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $108,068 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 15,316 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Belchertown. Shaded = worse than the median town on tax bill share or enrollment. Medians are across all 351 towns with data.
Why this budget grade
Budget grade C, fair (64/100, near the C/D line; better than 15% of MA towns): reserves averaged 2.8% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 0.38% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (0.38% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 1.6% of budget (median 1.3%).
Why this chance of an override vote
Chance of an override vote: Medium (4 pts): little room under the tax cap (1.75% of max levy, +2); override vote since July 2016, latest 2025-05 (+2).
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs -2.3% last year; enrollment -8% over 5 yrs; tax bill 6.1% of median income (state median 6.4%).
"pts" are points toward the chance of an override vote. Max levy is the most the town can raise without a vote under Prop 2½. See how the budget grade works.
Override votes since July 2016
| Vote date | Result | Amount | Purpose (as listed by DLS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2025 | Passed | $2,894,400 | Funding Municipal And School Operating Budgets For The Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2025 |
Source: MA DLS Proposition 2½ override vote file, as of 25 Oct 2026. One ballot can carry several questions.
See this town in the full data table →
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