7 Best Independent Living Communities in Belchertown, MA

Independent Living

For those who would like to live primarily without assistance but would like the assistance of having their household chores maintained by professionalls, an Independent Living Community might be the perfect fit. Frequent needs such as housekeeping and meal planning are taken care of, which permits occupants more free time to live life as they wish. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy an opportunity to live among peers, surrounded by others of similar ages and backgrounds. Typically comprised of a private living area and a full kitchen, these communities offer residences with many of the amenities of apartment life but with none of the hassle. Guests can be invited over and entertained, and more time can be spent with them with the basic maintenance of daily tasks out of the way. While policies vary between communities, numerous residences allow cats and dogs as well. If medical or nursing support is desired, residents may always enlist the services of private care providers. There are a variety of benefits and expenses to consider while determining an independent living community. It is important to learn if these amenities are included in your care plan: Waiting list deposit, transportation, laundry, initial assessment fee, move-in fee, meals, cable TV, and parking. The benefits associated with independent living include laundry service, restaurant-style dining hall, fitness center & swimming pool, community activities, security guards, golf course, concierge services, and transportation.

Demographics and Values

Racially, the population of Belchertown is 94.5% white, 0.4% other or not specified, 0.4% black, 3.0% Asian, 0.0% Native American, 1.7% mixed race, 1.3% Hispanic, and 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian. In Belchertown, 10.1% have some form of disability, 3.6% consider themselves widows, 73.5% participate in the labor force, and 1.1% do not have health insurance. Of the population of Belchertown 23.9% have a high-school diploma, 20.6% have a graduate degree, and 44.7% have a college degree. In Belchertown, 9.2% of the people are veterans. Based on gender, 51.3% are female and 48.7% are male. The median age of Belchertown is 44 years old. The total population of Belchertown consists of 14,906 people. Belchertown has a population density of 109 people per square mile.

Cost of Living

The price of care for a community is influenced by the destination where it is located. The rent burden for Belchertown is around 17.5% of the average monthly income. Per month, the median cost of rent in Belchertown is about $1,473 per month and the median price of a home in Belchertown costs around $263,684.

State Information

An overview of Massachusetts

Overall, Massachusetts ranks 8th in quality of life and 2nd in healthcare compared to other US states. The state of Massachusetts has a cost of living index of 133.8 where a score of 100 is the national average, and anything above 100 is considered more expensive than the average. The state has a grocery index rating of 113.9 and a housing index rating of 170.3. There are 78 general hospitals and 129 health centers that provide care for 6,941,273 Massachusetts residents. The top three hospitals in the state are considered to be Cape Cod Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and New England Baptist Hospital. Residents of Massachusetts enjoy its natural beauty which ranks 26th in the United States.

Social demographics of the state

The state of Massachusetts ranks 16th in the country for diversity and the state is considered very LGBTQ friendly. The state has a median age of 39 and 30% of its population being over the age of 55. Twenty-three percent of Massachusetts residents regularly attend a religious service from one of the state’s 4,200 different congregations. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-3%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%, with the most common Christian denominations consisting of Evangelical Protestant-9%, Mainline Protestant-10%, and Historically Black Protestant-2%. In Massachusetts there are 27 masonic lodges. In the last presidential election 60% of Massachusetts residents voted Democrat and 33% voted Republican.

State-wide weather information

The average temperature in the winter falls to around 28F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 45F during the month of January. In the winter months, the average low temperature falls to around 7F during the month of December. During the summer, the average temperature in Massachusetts is around 68F. The average high summer temperature is around 85F in the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 50F in the month of June. The average air quality index rating in Massachusetts is 38.9 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of May with a rating of 47.5 AQI. The most precipitation occurs in May with an average of 6.10 inches of precipitation a month. The average monthly precipitation for the state of Massachusetts is around 4.04 inches. The average humidity across the state is 71%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of December at around 71%. While residents of Massachusetts mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Massachusetts can include hurricanes, earthquakes (moderate), and and tornadoes.

Wildlife to be found in Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of butterfly weed, flowering dogwood, American linden, and white spruce. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the coyotes, the new england aster, the bats, or the spike gayfeather. The state animal of Massachusetts is the woodchucks.