Compare towns
Bellingham vs Blackstone vs Upton vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Blackstone has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k 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 | Bellingham | Blackstone | Upton | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,325Lowest |
9,255Highest |
8,189 |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 10% above MA |
43.2±1.7Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Upton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,763±$14k 7% below MA |
$94,191±$21kLowest 9% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23k 23% below MA |
$404,400±$34k 28% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 14% above MA |
$1,189±$85 33% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,703 5% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
34 minLowest 16% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #232 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone-Millville | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Millville RHS | Blackstone Valley | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.