Compare towns
Bellingham vs Needham vs Blackstone
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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Blackstone has the most affordable homes ($404k 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 | Needham | Blackstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325Lowest |
32,459Highest |
9,255 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bellingham and Blackstone 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$94,191±$21kLowest 9% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23k 23% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$404,400±$34kLowest 28% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358 14% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,189±$85Lowest 33% below MA |
| Needham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,703 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65%±18.3 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #232 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | — | — | Blackstone Millville RHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.6 |
| 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.