Belchertown is a bedroom community where many residents commute to jobs in Boston or Hartford. The town has little agricultural production, but once was an important center for the lumbering industry. The town has large pine forests and hardwoods are still found in the area. Today, the town is a thriving community that features a variety of small businesses. The town also hosts the annual Belchertown Fair, one of the oldest continuously-operated fairs in the country. The fair includes a handicraft show, horse and oxen pulls, and a church supper on the Belchertown Common.
The city's population is comprised of over 4,900 residents. Of these, 4,886 households contained children under 18 years of age. The majority of households were married, with a female householder making up 9.8% of the households. Another 20% of households consisted of individuals. Finally, 7.0% of households were headed by senior citizens. The average household size was 2.65, and the median family size was 3.09.
Belchertown has a well-preserved fire department. The town's fire station was built in 1901. It was relocated to its present location on North Main Street in 1999. In the early days, fire alarms were made by ringing a church bell. Later, a loud siren was installed on top of the fire station. Today, the city has a full volunteer fire department, consisting of modern, well-equipped trucks.