Compare towns
Bellingham vs Boylston 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).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Boylston | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325 |
4,948Lowest |
5,572Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 10% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
| Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bellingham and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston 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% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,763±$14kLowest 7% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Boylston and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23k 23% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358 14% above MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
| Boylston and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Boylston 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% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston 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 | #72 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Berlin-Boylston | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | Tahanto Regional High | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.