Compare towns
Abington vs Lancaster vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Abington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Bellingham has the most affordable homes ($451k median).
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 | Abington | Lancaster | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,053 |
8,606Lowest |
17,410Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±1.8 about the MA average |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
| Lancaster and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±3.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Abington and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Abington and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,400±$12k 21% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$125,307±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
| Lancaster and Abington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $539,600±$34kHighest 4% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
| Abington and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,724±$250Lowest about the MA average |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,836±$196 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,045 18% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,030Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #143 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Abington | Nashoba | Bellingham |
| High school in town | Abington High | None in town | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.