Compare towns
Bellingham vs Lancaster vs Ogunquit vs Shirley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Lancaster has the highest household income ($135k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Shirley has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Lancaster | Ogunquit | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,325 |
8,606Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 13% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley and Ogunquit 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 20% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16k 52% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23k 30% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$427,600±$36kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358 42% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
— | $1,481±$421Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477 44% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | — | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | — | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.