Compare towns
Bellingham vs Mendon vs Sutton 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).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Mendon | Sutton | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,325Lowest |
6,325 |
9,452Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 10% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
| Sutton and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Sutton 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Barre and Sutton 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% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Barre 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 |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Sutton and Mendon 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 14% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
| Bellingham and Mendon 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 |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Bellingham 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% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Mendon-Upton | Sutton | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Sutton High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.