Compare towns
Bellingham vs Lancaster vs Bellingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering BellinghamMendon
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Bellingham has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325Lowest |
8,606 |
17,410Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
| Bellingham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bellingham and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±2.2Lowest 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+ | 35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Bellingham 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±$14kLowest 7% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$125,307±$10k 21% above MA |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23kLowest 23% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$450,700±$13k 20% below MA |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358 14% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,836±$196Lowest 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 | $4,477Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,030 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±16.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3Lowest 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 | #232 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #232 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Bellingham |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellingham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| 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.